Arizona reported more than 1,500 new COVID-19 cases and two new known deaths Sunday.
The past several weeks have seen relatively higher daily case reports as the virus spreads at its fastest rate in Arizona since June, although case numbers are still well below where they were at during the summer peak.
Identified COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose by 1,527 on Sunday to 247,473 and known deaths were at 5,981, according to the daily report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Sunday marked the sixth straight day that new cases eclipsed 1,000.
An increase in new COVID-19 cases in the summer was an early indicator of more hospitalizations and deaths in the weeks to come. Ducey on Thursday said Arizonans "need to keep our guard up" but announced no new preventive measures, instead pointing to existing strategies such as restaurant capacity limits. He contended the state had already "learned what works to combat this virus."