PHOENIX — There is a lot of news regarding the coronavirus in Arizona.
In an effort to track the changes, 12 News has started a daily live blog.
Here is the live blog for Friday, April 24.
Major updates:
- There are now 6,045 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona as of Friday morning.
- 266 people have died from the virus or complications related to the virus in Arizona, as of Friday morning.
- ADHS announced it is expanding COVID-19 testing
- The state does not record how many people have recovered.
- Arizona's stay-at-home order expires next Thursday.
- Scroll down to see how many cases are in each ZIP code in Arizona.
- 180 new cases, 6 more deaths on the Navajo Nation as weekend curfew goes into effect
- Here's the national live blog for Friday, April 24
There are now 6,045 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona, 266 deaths
There are now 6,045 people who have confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona, with 266 people who have died of coronavirus-related deaths, according to the state's latest numbers.
Cases are up from 5,769 confirmed cases on Thursday with 249 deaths. That's a single-day increase of 276 cases and 17 deaths.
One week ago, there were 4,507 cases and 169 deaths in Arizona.
Maricopa County had the highest number of cases, with 3,116 cases in the county.
Pima County also broke 1,000 cases on Thursday and had 1,060 as of Friday morning.
So far, 60,714 tests have been administered for COVID-19, according to state health officials. There were 2,017 more tests reported Friday morning.
Of those 60,714 tests that were done, 9% of them were positive.
Here's a county breakdown:
- Maricopa: 3,116
- Pima: 1,060
- Pinal: 317
- Coconino: 391
- Navajo: 583
- Apache: 296
- Mohave: 73
- La Paz: 8
- Yuma: 42
- Graham: 7
- Cochise: 34
- Santa Cruz: 30
- Yavapai: 75
- Gila: 11
- Greenlee: 2
According to Arizona state health officials, there were 2,253 cases among people ages 20-44, the highest age group in the state.
The second highest age group was 65-plus, with 1,484 cases.
White, non-Hispanic people made up 31% of cases, but the race and ethnicity was unknown for 32% of cases.
Women made up the majority of cases, with 53%. People without chronic medical conditions made up 70% of cases and 57% of cases were not high-risk.
Maricopa County also made up the majority of deaths, with 120. Pima County followed behind with 74 deaths and Coconino County had 34 deaths.
Men made up a majority of deaths, with 58%. People over the age of 65 also made up the most number of deaths, with 200.
Arizona releases ZIP code locations of coronavirus cases, other data
The Arizona Department of Health Services has released expanded data points regarding coronavirus cases in the state.
The AZDHS website now features the location of confirmed cases in Arizona by zip code.
You can see the current ZIP code map below and can find yours by clicking around or searching for your ZIP code in the top right of the map.
Maricopa County health officials said there were 3,123 cases in the county, but the state had only accounted for 3,116 in its official tally.
Maricopa County also accounted for 120 deaths. The county also had 572 hospitalizations and 172 ICU admissions.
180 new cases, 6 more deaths on the Navajo Nation as 57-hour curfew takes effect
The Navajo Nation announced Friday that 180 more people have tested positive for COVID-19. The total number of positive tests on the nation has reached 1,540.
Six more people died as of Friday, bringing the total to 58 deaths related to COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation.
Seventeen Navajo Police Department employees tested positive for the disease: 11 officers and 6 civilian personnel. They are currently in quarantine.
Another 57-hour weekend curfew is in effect on the nation in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. It lasts from 8 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday and will be enforced with road checkpoints.
Anyone who violates the curfew can receive citations with fines up to $1,000 and up to 30 days in jail.
State looking to expand COVID-19 testing
The supply chain of protective equipment and test collection supplies is opening up, allowing the state and commercial labs to get what they need to test more people for COVID-19, the Arizona Department of Health Services says.
ADHS updated its standing orders Friday, expanding the criteria for testing to anyone who thinks they have been exposed to and could be infected with COVID-19. Before, the tests were limited to high-risk patients with specific symptoms.
The department is working with private labs across the state, providing funding to increase their lab capacity and telling them to remove any restrictions on testing if they have adequate testing supplies and PPE.
The department also distributed 15 rapid testing machines throughout the state that are able to provide results within 15 minutes. Arizona officials are working with federal partners to get more tests to support these machines.
Changes coming to Lake Pleasant Regional Park in West Valley
The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department will implement several new weekend changes at Lake Pleasant, starting Saturday.
Capacity has already been limited to allow for physical-distancing.
But the repetitive closures on the weekends at the lake became time-intensive for staff who closely monitored park resources to determine when more visitors could safely enter the area.
It was also challenging for visitors who drive a relatively long distance only to find the park closed for an extended period of time.
Starting tomorrow, the following changes will be in place:
Main Entrance
- The park will enter into a temporary mandated hard closure from 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday at the main park entry.
- No new entries/re-entries will be allowed into the park during this period.
North Entrance (4-lane boat ramp)
- The north entrance will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 6 am to 9 am. Entrance into the area will close at 9 am, and all boaters must exit the area by 4 pm on these days.
- No new entries/re-entries into the area will be allowed after 9 a.m.
- A closure may be implemented before 9 a.m. if physical-distancing park capacity standards are reached in this area prior to the mandatory closure.
- The area will remain closed Monday through Friday.
Camping Reservations
- Staff will contact those with camping reservations to provide instructions on how the sites may be accessed during the closure.
- Campers are encouraged to enter the park after 4 p.m. to avoid closure protocols and to remain inside the park during the mandatory closure periods.
- Same day camping reservations for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday may not be booked at this time.
Shoreline Camping
- There is no primitive, shoreline, or boat camping available at the lake.
Trailheads
- The Beardsley Trailhead is currently closed.
Payments
- Payment may be made via credit/debit card and/or annual pass.
Scorpion Bay Marina
- Marina slip renters and individuals with boat reservations should be in the park by 11 am or after 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday if at all possible.
- Individuals visiting Scorpion Bay Marina should contact the marina for further information on how the changes will impact their visit.
Social distancing drive-in movie experience to come to Scottsdale
Moonlight Movie Nights, a social distancing drive-in movie experience, will come to Scottsdale.
The first showing will be at 7:15 p.m. Friday at the Sonora Village Complex.
Movies will air through Sunday, April 26 and Thursday, April 30 through Sunday, May 3.
The family-friendly event will allow guests to watch their favorite flicks from their cars with their quarantine crews.
COVID-19 is believed to be primarily spread through coughs or sneezes.
It may be possible for the virus to spread by touching a surface or object with the virus and then a person touching their mouth, nose or eyes, but this is not thought to be the main method of spread, the CDC says.
You should consult your doctor if you traveled to an area currently affected by COVID-19 and feel sick with fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
There is no vaccine for the coronavirus, so the best way to prevent COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases is to:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
You can text FACTS to 602-444-1212 to receive more information on the coronavirus and to ask questions.
