Arizonans Urged to Take Prevention Steps to Protect Themselves and Their Communities as Cases Exceed 100,000
Phoenix AZ (July 6, 2020) – As the total number of COVID-19 cases surpasses 2,841,906 nationwide, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) announced today that more than 62,000 of the 101,441 reported cases are in people younger than 44 years old. There have been 129,576 COVID-19 related deaths nationwide, with 1,810 deaths reported in Arizona.
Nationwide the percentage of positive tests is at 9% to date, with 13.4% COVID-19 positive PCR tests to date in Arizona. As we experience increased cases, COVID-19 hospitalizations have also increased, with more than 3,200 COVID-19 inpatients and over 800 ICU patients currently reported in Arizona hospitals.
“Similar to several other states around the nation, we continue to see rising numbers of cases and hospitalizations in Arizona,” said Dr. Cara Christ, ADHS director. “It’s important for Arizonans to understand that COVID-19 is widespread and circulating in our community, especially in our 20 to 44 year olds. We urge every Arizonan to follow Governor Ducey’s executive orders to contain the spread and take simple precautions, such as wearing a face-covering when out in public and avoiding gatherings of people, to prevent the further transmission of COVID-19.”
On June 29, Governor Ducey issued Executive Order 2020-43, Pausing Arizona’s Reopening, putting several mitigation measures in place to help contain the spread of COVID-19, including:
- Prohibiting public organized events of 50 or more people.
- Ceasing the issuance of series 15 special event liquor licenses through July 27th.
- Pausing the operations of high-risk environments including bars, indoor gyms, indoor movie theaters, water parks, and tubing operators until at least July 27th.
- Preventing groups of 10 or more from congregating at pools.
In addition to the actions in the Executive Order, Governor Ducey reminded Arizonans that they are safer at home and there are simple steps every Arizonan can take to slow the spread of COVID-19:
- Physically distance by staying at least six feet away from others.
- Wear a cloth face-covering in public.
- Arizonans at higher risk for severe illness should continue to stay at home and avoid attending settings with 10 or more people who are not usual household contacts. People at higher risk for severe illness include adults 65 or older and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Stay at home when you are sick.
If you believe you have been exposed to or infected with COVID-19, stay home unless you are seeking medical care. Arizonans can find COVID-19 testing locations at azhealth.gov/COVID19testing.
ADHS activated its Health Emergency Operations Center on January 27th after the first case of travel-associated COVID-19 was confirmed in Arizona. The Health Emergency Operations Center remains open to coordinate the State’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. For more information about Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, visit azhealth.gov/COVID-19.
