In an effort to track the changes with the coronavirus outbreak in Arizona, 12 News has started a daily live blog.
Here is the live blog for Thursday, Sept. 3.
Major updates:
- There have been 203,953 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 5,130 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona as of Thursday.
- The state does not record how many people have recovered, but Johns Hopkins University estimates the number of people who have recovered.
- You can find COVID-19 testing sites here.
- Scroll down to see how many cases are in each ZIP code and additional information.
COVID-19 cases reported in Arizona on Thursday
There have been 203,953 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 5,130 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona, according to the state's latest numbers.
That is an increase from 202,861 cases and 5,065 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Wednesday.
A week ago, there were 200,139 cases and 4,929 deaths reported in Arizona.
LEER EN ESPANOL: Coronavirus en Arizona el 3 de septiembre: 1,091 casos nuevos y 65 muertes se reportan el jueves
1,091 new cases, 65 new deaths reported Thursday
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 1,091 new cases and 65 new deaths on Thursday.
Arizona reached 200,000 coronavirus cases on Aug. 27, 100,000 on July 6 and 50,000 cases on June 21. The state reached 5,000 coronavirus deaths on Aug. 29, 4,000 on Aug. 6, 3,000 deaths on July 23, 2,000 on July 9 and 1,000 on June 5.
Arizona's Rt, pronounced r-naught, was at 0.95 as of Wednesday, up from 0.81 on Monday.
The Rt is essentially a mathematical number that shows whether more people are becoming infected or less.
The concern is that any Rt over 1, no matter how small, means the virus may grow exponentially.
There were 5,483 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 day with the highest number of reported deaths was July 17, when 97 people died. 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.
Maricopa, Pima counties allowed to partially reopen schools
The Arizona Department of Health Services announced Thursday that eight counties have met the recommended benchmarks to partially reopen schools.
Schools in the following counties can start a hybrid learning model combining in-person and online learning:
- Cochise
- Coconino
- Maricopa
- Navajo
- Pima
- Pinal
Apache and Yavapai counties have already met those benchmarks.
Two other counties, Greenlee and La Paz, have met the benchmarks to resume full in-person instruction.
The department recommends that schools consider moving from virtual instruction to a combination of virtual and in-person learning while implementing mitigation measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Maricopa County detailed the COVID-19 risk for school districts, cities and zip codes after the state gave it the green light to partially reopen.
Arizona unemployment boss says extra $300 pay to end soon
Unemployed Arizona residents who have received an extra $300 a week under a Trump administration coronavirus relief program are likely to lose that extra benefit in the coming weeks.
Department of Economic Security Director Michael Wisehart said Wednesday that Arizonans getting the extra pay on top of the regular $240 per week unemployment benefit will get that cash this week and possibly next.
But the pool of federal cash President Donald Trump is tapping could run out after that.
Some 392,000 Arizonans are currently receiving unemployment benefits, up from about 17,500 before the pandemic hit in March.
The above article is from the Associated Press.
Wildlife World Zoo reopens
The Wildlife World Zoo in the West Valley is reopening its doors ahead of Labor Day weekend. Team 12's Trisha Hendricks has the latest.
Arizona releases guidance on long-term care facility visitation
The Arizona Department of Health Services adopted recommendations and posted the COVID-19 Guidance for Visitation at Congregate Settings for Vulnerable Adults and Children on August 28.
Resuming visitation depends on a facility’s implementation of COVID-19 mitigation strategies and the level of community spread.
Long-term care facilities must implement mitigation policies by Friday and facilities that implement health and safety precautions can allow visitors as soon as this weekend.
Facilities in any stage can allow indoor visits if certain conditions are met, including:
- The visitor presents the facility a negative COVID test (either PCR or antigen) less than 48 hours old;
- The visitor signs an attestation that they have isolated in the time between the sample was taken and the visit and is free from symptoms;
- The facility limits contact as much as possible, including a dedicated visitation space;
- And more.
Paradise Valley church to start in-person services on Sept. 13
Ascension Lutheran Church announced Wednesday that in-person church services will resume at 10:00 a.m. on Sept. 13.
The church said "precautions are being taken in seating with social distancing, wearing masks, and no-touch communion."
Phoenix school to host free community pantry Thursday
The V.H. Lassen Elementary School opened a community pantry on Thursday.
It will aim to help families in the south Phoenix community impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pantry will be open to students in south Phoenix and their families every Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Items will include non-perishable food items, cleanliness and health supplies, including face masks and sanitizer, and fresh produce when available.
Tempe to reopen park playgrounds this weekend
The city of Tempe announced that all neighborhood park playgrounds and outdoor exercise equipment will reopen to the community starting Friday.
The city’s three splash pads at Esquer, Hudson and Jaycee parks will also reopen.
The city also said that the Kiwanis Tennis Center will resume leagues, drop-ins, challenge courts and mix and match.
Find more information here.
Navajo Nation reports one recent COVID-19 death
The Navajo Department of Health reported 17 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and one more death.
The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 9,847.
The total number of deaths has reached 504 as of Wednesday.
Reports indicate that 7,108 individuals have recovered from COVID-19 and 96,086 COVID-19 tests have been administered.
Navajo Nation to run partial weekend lockdown into September
Navajo Nation officials are extending partial weekend lockdowns and daily curfews through September to help control the spread of the coronavirus on the tribe’s reservation.
The lockdowns on the vast reservation in the Four Corners region start at 9 p.m. Saturday and run until 5 a.m. Monday.
Daily curfews run from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
President Jonathan Nez says residents still have time on Saturdays to prepare for the winter season by gathering firewood, food, water and other supplies.
But the public should avoid traveling to nearby towns and cities on the weekends.
Travel increases the risk of infection and bringing it home to family.
The above article is from the Associated Press.
Expiration date of some Arizona licenses delayed
Gov. Doug Ducey's office announced Tuesday that standard driver licenses that have an expiration date between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 will be delayed by one year from their original expiration date.
All Arizona law enforcement officers as well as state government agencies, county and municipal governments and election officials will accept Arizona driver license cards with expiration dates between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 as valid identification.
Drivers may see their updated driver license expiration date at AZMVDNow.gov.
Arizona health department sets up hotline to report businesses
The Arizona Department of Health Services has set up two ways for people to report local businesses that are not following COVID-19 guidelines.
People can report businesses through a hotline or through an online form:
- Submit a complaint online at www.azhealth.gov/complianceCOVID19
- Calling the COVID-19 Compliance Hotline at 1-844-410-2157
“There’s a role for the public as well: If you believe a business isn’t following these requirements, which were established for the safety of customers, employees, and the broader public, ADHS encourages you to share your concerns so local and state officials can follow up as needed,” AZDHS said in a statement.
RELATED: Arizona’s health department wants you to report businesses that don’t enforce safety requirements
Free masks available for some Arizonans
The Arizona Department of Health Services announced that some Arizonans would be able to get free masks from the state.
The department partnered with Hanes to provide free face masks to Arizona’s most vulnerable populations.
Anyone who is part of a vulnerable population (including, but not limited to, individuals with medical conditions or individuals age 65 or older) is able to get a free mask.
Each other will provide five washable, reusable cloth face masks, one order per household.
The department hopes to give out two million cloth face masks.
Anyone with questions can visit the department's FAQs page or contact Hanes at 1-800-503-6698.
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 Thursday
There have been 203,953 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 5,130 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona.
That is an increase from 202,861 cases and 5,065 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Wednesday.
There were 1,091 new cases reported on Thursday, an increase from the 519 new cases reported on Wednesday.
There were 65 new deaths reported on Thursday, an increase from the 21 new deaths reported on Wednesday.
There were 5,483 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 day with the highest number of reported deaths was July 17, when 97 people died. That is subject to change.
In total, 10,240 new tests were reported on Thursday, an increase from the 5,547 new tests reported on Wednesday.
There have been a total of 1,490,996 PCR and Serology tests reported to the state as of Thursday.
11.4% of those tests have been positive as of Thursday, down from 11.5% on Wednesday.
Here's a county breakdown:
- Maricopa: 135,109
- Pima: 21,443
- Pinal: 9,744
- Coconino: 3,355
- Navajo: 5,631
- Apache: 3,355
- Mohave: 3,675
- La Paz: 512
- Yuma: 12,269
- Graham: 744
- Cochise: 1,832
- Santa Cruz: 2,761
- Yavapai: 2,342
- Gila: 1,122
- Greenlee: 58
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.
