COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Graham, Greenlee counties

Photo By Jacqueline Marshall/Wyoming National Guard: COVID-19 cases continue their upward tick in Graham and Greenlee counties but free COVID-19 vaccines are readily available.

Graham County “active cases” back into triple digits

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

GRAHAM AND GREENLEE COUNTIES – COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Graham and Greenlee counties with Graham County back into triple digits for “active cases.” 

On Tuesday, the Graham County Department of Health and Human Services reported 10 new cases of COVID-19. The health department reported 11 new cases on Monday, and 10 on Saturday to push the current “active cases” to 114. 

Seven of the 10 new cases reported Tuesday come from the Safford zip code, with two from the Pima/Bylas Zip code, and one unknown. The new cases have also included quarantine orders from the health department to those who have been in close contact with someone who has a confirmed case. That has resulted in an entire elementary class in Pima being quarantined after just one day of school last week and other students have been given quarantine orders from other close contacts.  

For the history of the pandemic, Graham County has had 5,750 confirmed cases, with 5,548 recoveries, 114 active cases, and 88 deaths. 

The Graham County Department of Health and Human Services is now offering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which has been given approval for use with those as young as 12. The Pfizer vaccine has been available elsewhere in Graham County but is now also being provided by the health department.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Graham County has administered vaccines to 30 percent of the population of the county. When other vaccination deployments are added, including the area’s three prisons, the Centers for Disease Control lists Graham County as having a fully vaccinated population of 45.6 percent as of Tuesday, with 55.4 percent of the population 12 and older being fully vaccinated, and 60.5 percent of the population 18 and older being fully vaccinated. The most endangered age group, those 65 years old and older, have a fully vaccinated rate of 89.7 percent, with 97.1 percent having at least one dose.  

In addition to the health department providing free COVID-19 vaccine, the various vaccines are readily available at grocery stores free and San Carlos Apache Healthcare will have a free COVID-19 vaccine pop-up at Fort Thomas High School on Wednesday, from 4 – 6:30 p.m. Three vaccines, Pfizer, Moderna, and the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccines, will be available. 

Greenlee County

The Greenlee County Health Department reported two new COVID-19 cases on Monday, pushing its active cases to 43.  

Greenlee has a total of 641 confirmed cases for the course of the pandemic, with 588 recoveries, 43 active cases, and 10 deaths.

COVID-19 vaccine is available from the Greenlee County Health Department for free.