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 Monday, June 29.
Major updates:
- There have been 74,533 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 1,588 coronavirus-related deaths, as of Monday morning.
- Gov. Ducey announced Monday Arizona bars, gyms and movie theaters will close until July 27. Additionally, tubing and water parks will close until July 27.
- Arizona schools will now not be permitted to begin until Aug. 17, but may be permitted to begin earlier virtually, Gov. Ducey announced Monday.
- Gov. Ducey also announced groups of 50 or more will only be allowed to congregate with permission of the local Mayor, or in unincorporated areas, the Board of Supervisors.
- Arizona Department of Health Services says the data reported Monday morning would not reflect all the new cases due to a lag in data reporting.
- The state does not record how many people have recovered, but Johns Hopkins University estimates 8,659 people can be considered recovered.
- Gov. Doug Ducey allowed cities to set own mask requirements.
Gyms fined for staying open
Mountainside Fitness was cited by multiple cities Tuesday after choosing to stay open in defiance of Gov. Ducey’s order.
The gym’s CEO Tom Hatten filed a complaint against the state earlier in the day and argues the decision to close gyms and not other businesses is being done arbitrarily and without evidence that gyms contribute to the spread of COVID-19 more than any other business.
Lawsuit against Gov. Ducey's order
Mountainside Fitness CEO and Founder Tom Hatten announced that his company will sue the state to block Gov. Ducey's order.
Hatten says his gym has proactively worked to maintain social distancing at their facilities and that the decision to close certain businesses is being done arbitrarily.
Hatten said other partners in the fitness industry in Arizona are expected to join the suit, which will be filed tomorrow morning.
Gov. Ducey closes bars, gyms, movie theaters, tubing/water parks
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced Monday that bars, gyms and movie theaters, along with tubing and water parks, will close until at least July 27.
Gov. Ducey also announced groups of 50 or more will only be allowed to congregate with permission of the local Mayor, or in unincorporated areas, the Board of Supervisors.
Arizona schools start date pushed back
Arizona schools will now not be permitted to begin until Aug. 17, but may be permitted to begin earlier virtually, Gov. Ducey announced Monday.
COVID-19 cases reported in Arizona on Monday
There have been 74,533 people with confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 1,588 coronavirus-related deaths as of Monday, according to the state's latest numbers.
That is an increase from 73,908 cases and 1,588 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Sunday.
A week ago, there were 54,586 cases and 1,342 deaths reported in Arizona.
EN ESPANOL: Coronavirus en Arizona el 29 de junio: Han habido más de 74,000 casos, cerca de 1,600 muertes
Arizona health officials say Monday's numbers are low due to lag in reporting
The Arizona Department of Health Services said in a tweet thread before the numbers were released on Monday that they would not be accurate.
The department said the data posted "will not reflect all the new cases."
The department said one of its lab partners did not submit its daily report in time.
They added that they are working with the partner to get the issue resolved, and that the data would be reflected in Tuesday's dashboard.
Phoenix Fan Fusion postponed until 2021 because of virus outbreak
Phoenix Fan Fusion, which had been postponed until September, has been again postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The convention will be held from May 28 to May 30, 2021.
Anyone who made hotel reservations will be able to re-reserve rooms since their cancellations were canceled. You can find more information here.
Arizona reports record-high 3.858 cases Sunday
Arizona health officials reported 3,858 more confirmed coronavirus cases on Sunday, the most reported in a single day in the state so far.
It was also the seventh time in the last 10 days that daily cases surpassed the 3,000 mark.
Sunday's record broke a record set last Tuesday, when 3,591 cases were reported.
Tuesday's record broke a previous record set June 19, when there were 3,246 new cases reported.
Friday's record broke a previous record set just June 18, with 2,519 new cases reported Thursday.
And Thursday's record broke a previous record set just June 16, with 2,392 new coronavirus cases reported.
Last week also marked the record-high deaths for Arizona.
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported a record-high 79 deaths last Wednesday.
However, that does not mean that all of those deaths occurred on the same day. That is just the number of deaths that were reported on Wednesday.
The department said 53 of the 79 deaths reported Wednesday were from death certificate matching.
According to the department, the highest single-day death toll appears to be on June 15, when there were 33 deaths. That information is subject to change.
You can find more information on deaths and when they occurred here.
Some Arizona hospitals have begun activating surge plans to increase their capacity to treat COVID-19 patients as confirmed cases rise and more people seek treatment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Navajo Nation cases grow by 55, one new death
The Navajo Department of Health reported 55 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and one new death.
The total number of COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation is 7,469.
The total number of deaths is 363 as of Sunday.
Reports from all 12 health care facilities on and near the Navajo Nation indicate that approximately 5,082 individuals have recovered from COVID-19.
More than 53,900 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 the coronavirus in Arizona
Are you looking to get tested for coronavirus in Arizona?
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 Monday
There have been 74,533 people with confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 1,588 coronavirus-related deaths as of Monday.
That's up from 73,908 cases and 1,588 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Sunday.
That's an increase of 625 new cases reported on Monday, a massive decrease from the 3,858 new cases reported on Sunday.
There were zero new deaths reported on Monday, a decrease from the nine new deaths reported on Sunday.
But health officials say the numbers reported on Monday were not accurate because a lab partner did not report its numbers in time.
In total, 3,939 new tests were reported on Monday, a decrease from the 19,827 new tests reported on Sunday.
There have been a total of 678,363 PCR and Serology tests reported to the state as of Monday.
9.6% of those tests have been positive, no change from the from the 9.6% on Sunday.
Here's a county breakdown:
- Maricopa: 45,178
- Pima: 7,568
- Pinal: 3,382
- Coconino: 1,850
- Navajo: 3,570
- Apache: 2,309
- Mohave: 1,028
- La Paz: 332
- Yuma: 5,882
- Graham: 92
- Cochise: 580
- Santa Cruz: 1,717
- Yavapai: 755
- Gila: 271
- Greenlee: 18
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.
