The number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Arizona continues to rise.
In an effort to track the changes, 12 News has started a daily live blog.
Here is the live blog for Wednesday, July 8.
Major updates:
- There have been 108,614 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 1,963 coronavirus-related deaths, as of Wednesday morning.
- The state does not record how many people have recovered, but Johns Hopkins University estimates the number of people who have recovered.
- The United States has reached 3 million confirmed cases of coronavirus.
- Scroll down to see how many cases are in each ZIP code and additional information.
- Joe Biden makes statement on "testing failures" in Arizona.
Joe Biden makes statement on "testing failures" in Arizona
Former vice president and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden made a statement Wednesday calling for federally-managed, community-based testing in Arizona.
Biden called continued and growing spread of coronavirus in the state a result of President Trump's words to slow testing down.
Below is the full statement from Biden:
"Arizonans have been forced to endure 13 hours in line in the boiling heat for a COVID-19 test, hospitals are overwhelmed, the test positivity rate is soaring, and the pleas of local leaders for help were repeatedly dismissed. Enough. The Trump Administration must immediately resume operating federally-managed community-based testing around the country and establish multiple sites in Arizona.
It must open them in every hot spot in the country and in every underserved community, and it must keep increasing the number of testing sites until there are no more lines. The crisis in Arizona is the direct result of Donald Trump's failure to lead and his desire to "slow the testing down," and Americans are suffering the consequences. The President must act."
COVID-19 cases reported in Arizona on Wednesday
There have been 108,614 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 1,963 coronavirus-related deaths as of Wednesday, according to the state's latest numbers.
That is an increase from 105,094 cases and 1,927 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Tuesday.
A week ago, there were 84,092 cases and 1,720 deaths reported in Arizona.
Cases reach 108,000 on Wednesday, two days after reaching 100,000
The Arizona Department of Health Services said the number of confirmed coronavirus cases topped 108,000, one day after reaching the 105,000 mark and two days after reaching 100,000.
Wednesday also marked the fourth straight day with more than 3,000 new cases reported in Arizona.
Arizona reached 50,000 coronavirus cases a little over two weeks ago, on June 21.
Gov. Doug Ducey announced in a tweet that state officials are working with the federal government to increase testing in Maryvale and west Phoenix.
Wednesday's high case day came one day after Arizona reported a record-high 117 deaths on Tuesday. Health officials said 52 of those deaths were from death certificate matching.
There were 5,025 cases reported on the collection date of June 29, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. That is subject to change.
Health officials said the days with the highest numbers of reported deaths was June 23 and 25, when 38 people died each day. That is subject to change.
Health officials continued to stress that people should continue social distancing, wearing masks in public and stay home when possible.
New York Times: Arizona has the world's worst coronavirus outbreak
Arizona is No. 1 -- but not in a good way.
According to the New York Times, Arizona is the No. 1 spot in the entire world with the most new coronavirus cases per million residents in the last seven days.
Florida and South Carolina followed shortly behind.
"There is no country in the world where confirmed coronavirus cases are growing as rapidly as they are in Arizona, Florida or South Carolina. The Sun Belt has become the global virus capital," the outlet reported.
The chart ranked the countries with the most confirmed new cases over the past week, adjusted for population size, and treated each U.S. state as if it were a country.
Patrick Ptak, Gov. Doug Ducey's spokesman, said in an email that the report from the New York Times was "misleading at best."
United States reaches 3 million cases of coronavirus
The United States has become the first country to reach three million confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The milestone was reached Wednesday morning, according to tracking by Johns Hopkins University.
By comparison, just one other country -- Brazil -- has passed the 1 million mark.
The Johns Hopkins University tracker shows more than 131,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19. There have been more than 936,000 recoveries.
Phoenix restaurant closes doors after positive test among employees
MacAlpine's Diner & Soda Fountain in Phoenix was forced to close its doors after one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19.
The company said it would temporarily close after an employee tested positive.
"The last day she worked was on June 25, when her symptoms were not yet present," the company said in an email.
"She had asked for the next week off due to a prior engagement."
The employee entered the building on July 2 to pick up her paycheck and her temperature was taken, but it was in the regular range. The employee had a mild case.
"Although the last day she worked was quite some time ago, we feel it is our responsibility to notify our customers of this situation and take any extra precautions necessary," the email continued.
"We will be temporarily closed for the next few weeks and will be thoroughly sanitizing the diner and antique stores."
"We want to reassure you that we will reopen again when it is safe for the public and our employees."
Bullhead City to close beaches, boat launches on weekends
All beaches, boat launches and associated parks in Bullhead City will be closed on weekends through Labor Day because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mayor Tom Brady issued an emergency proclamation Tuesday about the closures on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Most parks will be open to the public Mondays through Thursdays in the northwestern Arizona city along the Colorado River.
Gates and fencing will be installed to prevent beach and boat launch access.
Brady says out-of-towners crowded Bullhead City’s beaches last weekend at "unacceptable levels.”
He says non-compliance and overcrowding are not acceptable in trying to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
The above article is from the Associated Press.
Navajo Nation cases grow by 27, one more death
The Navajo Department of Health reported 27 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and one more death.
The total number of COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation is 7,941.
The total number of deaths has reached 379 as of Tuesday.
Reports from all 12 health care facilities on and near the Navajo Nation indicate that approximately 5,650 individuals have recovered from COVID-19.
60,323 people have been tested for COVID-19.
CDC expands list of groups at higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its list of individuals who are considered at an increased risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19.
The CDC explained that it's clear a substantial number of Americans are at increased risk of severe illness from the coronavirus pandemic – highlighting the importance of continuing to follow preventive measures.
Experts determined there was consistent evidence these conditions increase a person's risk, regardless of age:
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Obesity (BMI of 30 or higher)
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- Serious heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Sickle cell disease
- Type 2 diabetes
Masks now required in public
Gov. Doug Ducey allowed individual Arizona cities to create their own policies about face-covering requirements and enforcement on Wednesday.
A face covering has proven to be effective at limiting the spread of COVID-19, according to the CDC. The virus is primarily spread by in-person contact through sneezes and coughs.
Many cities, including Phoenix, have adopted their own mask requirement that is now in effect.
How to get tested for coronavirus
If you have reason to believe you have contracted coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, this is what you should do.
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 here and can find yours by clicking around or searching for your ZIP code in the top right of the map.
More information on coronavirus cases from Wednesday
There have been 108,614 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 1,963 coronavirus-related deaths as of Wednesday.
That is an increase from 105,094 cases and 1,927 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Tuesday.
That's an increase of 3,520 new cases reported on Wednesday, a slight decrease from the 3,653 new cases reported on Tuesday.
There was 36 new deaths reported on Wednesday, a major decrease from the record-high 117 deaths reported on Tuesday.
There were 5,025 cases reported on the collection date of June 29, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. That is subject to change.
Health officials said the days with the highest numbers of reported deaths was June 23 and 25, when 38 people died each day. That is subject to change.
In total, 15,219 new tests were reported on Wednesday, an increase from the 11,418 new tests reported on Tuesday.
There have been a total of 827,089 PCR and Serology tests reported to the state as of Wednesday.
11.4% of those tests have been positive, an increase from 11.3% on Tuesday.
Here's a county breakdown:
- Maricopa: 70,128
- Pima: 10,485
- Pinal: 4,959
- Coconino: 2,250
- Navajo: 4,089
- Apache: 2,499
- Mohave: 1,509
- La Paz: 381
- Yuma: 7,775
- Graham: 179
- Cochise: 884
- Santa Cruz: 2,061
- Yavapai: 1,016
- Gila: 373
- Greenlee: 26
Click on the links below to find more information from each county's health department:
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:
- Wear face coverings while in public.
- Practice social distancing while in public.
- 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.
