County lists 1,933 total cases, with 1,061 recovered, 839 actives, and 33 deaths
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – The Graham County Department of Health and Human Services announced 31 new positive tests in Graham County on Sunday and an additional 29 on Monday to push the total for the pandemic to 1,933. The new positive tests include 23 from Safford, 17 from the San Carlos Apache Tribe, 14 from Thatcher, and six from Pima. Safford has nearly twice the population as Thatcher and four times that of Pima.
After having its biggest increase of cases in one month in October (408), Graham County has now surpassed that mark with 699 new positive tests in the first 23 days of November alone.
As of Monday, the Graham County Department of Health and Human Services reported 1,933 total confirmed cases, with 1,061 recovered and 839 actives. According to GCDHHS criteria, a positive test is not considered a recovered patient until they have 30 days symptom-free. Graham County has about 39,000 residents. Nearly 5 percent of Graham County has tested positive for COVID-19, with the currently active number at about 2.2 percent.
A total of 33 people, nearly all over the age of 65 and who had pre-existing health conditions, have died with COVID-19 in Graham County. About 1.7 percent of those who have tested positive for the virus in Graham County have died after contracting it. There were currently eight patients hospitalized for COVID-19 at the Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center on Tuesday.
According to the state’s database, Graham County’s positive test cases include 414 who are under 20 years of age, 827 between 20-44, 221 between 45-54, 206 between 55-64, and 261 who are 65 years old or older.
The ever-increasing positive tests have moved the health department, town councils, and the Graham County Chamber of Commerce to request the Graham County Board of Supervisors issue a temporary, six-week mask mandate while in public for Graham County.
MGRMC CEO Roland Knox informed a meeting of government leaders that Thursday marked the first day the hospital had more than 50 percent of its patients be COVID-19 related and that it is seeking additional staff as 30 of its healthcare workers are currently out due to the virus. Statewide, 90 percent of intensive care units were occupied as of Thursday.
Greenlee County
The Greenlee County Health Department listed nine new positive tests on Saturday and four more on Sunday to raise its total for the pandemic to 184.
The health department has administered tests to 2,270 people as of Sunday, with 2,086 being negative, and 184 positives, according to the department. The county has 91 active cases, 91 recovered cases, and two deaths. Greenlee County has about 10,000 residents.
The breakdown of the Greenlee cases currently listed on the ADHS’ data dashboard (which only shows 181 positives currently) includes 21 under the age of 20, 93 between 20-44, 31 between 45-54, 22 between 55-64, and 14 who are 65 years old or older.
San Carlos Apache Tribe
The San Carlos Apache Tribe stretches into both Graham and Gila counties and its cases add to the respective counties’ cases based on the geography of where the patients reside.
On Monday, the San Carlos Apache Tribe Department of Health & Human Services reported 44 new cases and listed four new deaths since Friday. To date, the Tribe has administered 14,247 tests with 11,536 negatives, 2,588 positives, and 123 results pending.
The Tribe lists 33 currently active cases, with 2,226 recovered cases, and 32 deaths.
The area breakdown on the reservation includes Gilson Wash – 442 positive, 369 recovered, 61 active, 12 deaths; Peridot – 847 positive, 720 recovered, 114 active, 13 deaths; 7-Mile – 514 positive, 448 recovered, 60 active, six deaths; Bylas – 623 positive, 557 recovered, 65 active, one death; other areas – 162 positive, 132 recovered, 30 active.
Statewide
For the state, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported 2,659 new cases Monday to bring the total to 302,324 for the state. It reported no new deaths to keep the total fatalities due, at least in part, to COVID-19 to and amended 6,464 in Arizona. The state has about 7.3 million residents and nearly two million tests have been taken.
Reported positive cases in the various counties include Maricopa County with 191,503, Pima County – 36.659, Yuma County – 16,826, Pinal County – 15,345, Navajo County – 7,654, Coconino County – 6,988, Mohave County – 5,643, Apache County – 4,921, Yavapai County – 4,529, Santa Cruz County – 3,624, Cochise County – 3,137, Gila County – 2,631, Graham County – 1,933, La Paz County – 750, Greenlee County – 181 (county lists 184).
