Arizona has long been known for its five C’s: copper, cattle, cotton, citrus and climate. Now, the state leads the nation in a more troubling "C": coronavirus transmission. 

Arizona now leads the country in its per-capita rate of coronavirus spread, says Joshua LaBaer, director of ASU's Biodesign Institute.

The state far exceeds rates among its nearest competitors, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Hawaii, California and North Carolina.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Arizona also ranks among the top four states in new cases per capita, with Yuma, Santa Cruz, Apache and Navajo counties hit especially hard.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 patients occupy roughly one in two hospital and ICU beds in the state, and some hospitals report staffing two beds per nurse.