Over the course of this fall week (Oct. 25- 31, 2021) COVID-19 cases in Arizona seem to increase and lower at unusual numbers, caused by a data programming problem. 

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, about 20,963 Arizonans have lost their lives due to the virus. With numbers that high COVID could possibly be the current leading cause of death in Arizona, tells the Arizona Public Health Association. Now about one year and seven months into the future, Arizona’s COVID cases have came out in usual numbers.

Over the weekend of Oct. 23-24, 2021 a problem with the Department of Health Services data-processing caused additional cases to be added on later days, to make up for the missing reported cases on the weekend. Along with this addition, deaths were reported to be lower than usual. 

Delays caused by the data programming have caused reported deaths to be lower than usual on Monday and Tuesday, with more cases (158 additional cases on Monday, 450 on Tuesday.) Wednesday reported an additional 6,299 and 81 deaths, causing the state’s pandemic total to go to 1,156,731 cases and  21,044 deaths. 

Even if the increase of reported cases and deaths was caused by a data issue overlapping cases to other days, it is still important to remember how to be safe to prevent more cases from appearing. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommends to wear a mask, six feet distance and washing and sanitizing often. Along with getting vaccinated, avoiding crowded areas, and monitoring personal health.