The path towards reopening Arizona has started, but it will be gradual.
In an effort to track the changes, 12 News has started a daily live blog.
Here is the live blog for Tuesday, May 26.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: 26 de mayo: Aquí lo que necesita saber sobre el brote del coronavirus en Arizona
Major updates:
- There are 16,783 people with confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 807 coronavirus-related deaths, as of Tuesday morning.
- The state does not record how many people have recovered.
- Scroll down to see how many cases are in each ZIP code and additional information.
COVID-19 cases reported in Arizona on Tuesday
There are 16,783 people with confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 807 coronavirus-related deaths as of Monday morning, according to the state's latest numbers.
That's up from 16,561 confirmed cases and 806 deaths on Monday.
One week ago, there were 14,556 cases across the state with 704 deaths.
Scroll down for more information.
Testing blitz to continue this weekend
Gov. Doug Ducey and the Arizona Department of Health Services announced the so-called COVID-19 testing blitz will continue this upcoming weekend.
Policies and procedures for patient criteria, billing, and pre-registration requirements vary by site.
Sites participating in the Arizona Testing Blitz will offer diagnostic testing for COVID-19, which is designed to determine whether a patient is currently infected with the virus.
Antibody testing is not a part of the Arizona Testing Blitz.
Arizona health officials say they can release FEMA modeling
The Arizona Department of Health Services said it has been given authorization to release the modeling provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Responses’ office in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The department said it is monitoring a number of different models.
In February and March, DHS developed an initial projection that estimated 13,000 additional inpatient beds and an additional 1,500 ICU beds would be needed to care for Arizonans with COVID-19, with our peak resource needs falling between the middle to end of April.
DHS also continues to partner with experts from Arizona State University and the University of Arizona and recently received an update to their model.
Sonora Quest to expand testing at long-term care facilities
Sonora Quest Laboratories expanded services for COVID-19 diagnostic swab and antibody serology testing at 147 long-term care facilities in Arizona.
The company said it will conduct up to 25,000 tests statewide.
“Protecting the health and safety of our most vulnerable residents is a top priority of the Arizona Department of Health Services, and we know that residents of long term care facilities are at a higher risk for serious complications and death from COVID-19,” Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said in a statement.
“It is critical that we can test the residents of these facilities and the staff that care for them. With the help of Sonora Quest, Arizona has expanded the capacity to test more people and I appreciate their partnership.”
The initial launch will focus on skilled nursing facilities that are certified through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and/or licensed through Arizona, including facilities within the tribal nations.
1st COVID-19 death reported in Cochise County
Cochise County reported its first COVID-19-related death last week.
The patient was a man over the age of 65, who had been hospitalized in Tucson.
As of Monday, there were 58 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Cochise County.
Of these, 42 have been released from isolation.
A total of 1,023 people participated in testing blitzes in Sierra Vista and Douglas, resulting in five positive cases.
Around 140 people were tested in the Willcox area last week, and results are pending.
A total of 3,329 people have been tested in the county as of Tuesday.
'Curve is flattening' on the Navajo Nation, president says
The Navajo Department of Health reported 105 new cases of COVID-19 for the Navajo Nation.
The total number of deaths has reached 157 as of Monday.
Preliminary reports from eight health care facilities indicate that approximately 1,491 individuals have recovered from COVID-19, with more reports still pending.
The total number of positive COVID-19 cases for the Navajo Nation has reached 4,794.
Navajo Nation cases by Service Unit:
• Chinle Service Unit: 1,169
• Crownpoint Service Unit: 503
• Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 236
• Gallup Service Unit: 834
• Kayenta Service Unit: 746
• Shiprock Service Unit: 774
• Tuba City Service Unit: 418
• Winslow Service Unit: 83
*31 residences are not specific enough to place them accurately in a Service Unit
“The curve is flattening on the Navajo Nation, even as we test aggressively. 14.6-percent of our citizens have been tested so far," President Jonathan Nez said in a statement.
"The Navajo Nation continues to test at a higher rate per capita than any state in the country. Testing, contact tracing, and the public health orders that were implemented months ago requiring protective masks in public and weekend lockdowns are working and flattening the curve," he continued.
"When you look at the projections that were provided in March and compare them to numbers that we have, we are actually doing much better than the projections."
Lake Havasu City testing event results released
Sonora Quest provided the results of the COVID-19 testing event in Lake Havasu City on May 16.
At this point, with five tests pending, there is one positive from Lake Havasu City and two from individuals who live in La Paz County.
The pending cases are currently being processed.
- How many total people were tested? 377
- Positive? 3
- Negative 369
- Spoiled Test? 0
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.
More information on coronavirus cases from Tuesday
There are 16,783 people with confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 807 coronavirus-related deaths as of Monday morning.
That's up from 16,561 confirmed cases and 806 deaths on Monday.
That's an increase of 222 new cases reported since Monday, the same amount as the 222 new cases reported on Sunday.
There was one new death reported on Tuesday, down from the six new deaths reported on Monday.
In total, 4,686 new tests were reported on Tuesday, down from 7,724 tests that were reported on Monday.
There have been a total of 273,069 PCR and Serology tests reported to the state as of Tuesday.
5.6% of those tests have been positive.
Here's a county breakdown:
- Maricopa: 8,448
- Pima: 2,075
- Pinal: 766
- Coconino: 1,041
- Navajo: 1,550
- Apache: 1,214
- Mohave: 329
- La Paz: 51
- Yuma: 717
- Graham: 23
- Cochise: 64
- Santa Cruz: 187
- Yavapai: 291
- Gila: 24
- Greenlee: 3
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:
- 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.
