Arizona reports record new coronavirus cases and deaths ahead of Pence visit

Arizona reported more than 4,800 new coronavirus cases and 88 deaths on Wednesday, hours before Vice President Mike Pence is set to meet with Gov. Doug Ducey, the Arizona Republic reports.

Why it matters: Arizona is seeing a massive surge in new cases and hospitalizations following Ducey's decision to reopen in May. On Monday, Ducey ordered bars, clubs, movie theaters, waterparks and gyms to close for 30 days in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

• Pence and other top White House officials have dismissed claims that states reopening too quickly led to a surge in cases, even as experts like Anthony Fauci warn that the U.S. could begin reporting as many as 100,000 new coronavirus cases per day.
• Pence's trip is intended to mark the Trump administration's dedication to supporting the swing state as President Trump slides in key polls, according to the Arizona Republic.

The state of play: Arizona has reported over 84,000 total cases and over 1,700 deaths during the pandemic, according to data from Johns Hopkins.

Go deeper: The coronavirus surge is real, and it's everywhere