Four more COVID-19 deaths for Graham; two more for Greenlee

Contributed Photo/Courtesy U.S. Census Bureau

Contributed Photo/Courtesy U.S. Census Bureau

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

SAFFORD – The increase in deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Graham County continues with four new reported deaths over the past two days to increase the total for the pandemic to 153.

The four new deaths give Graham County 27 deaths in about a month. Greenlee announced one new death on Tuesday, and another was listed on Wednesday to bring its total to 27 for the pandemic. Greenlee has had 12 COVID-19 deaths from the Duncan area, nine from the Clifton area, and five from the Morenci area. The second most recent death was a Duncan area resident in their 60s. No other information has yet to be released on the most recent death.    

On Wednesday, the Graham County Department of Health and Human Services listed 27 new confirmed cases over the past two days, to increase its total for the pandemic to 8,8894 confirmed cases with 153 deaths. Graham County has 581 currently active cases and 8,160 recoveries. Graham County has a COVID-19 death rate of 1.72 percent per confirmed case. The state average is 1.77 percent.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Graham County has a COVID-19 rate of 23,115 cases per 100,000 population. That is good for the second-worst rate out of any of Arizona’s 15 counties, just behind Navajo County, which has a rate of 23,358 per 100,000 population. Apache County is the third-worst with a rate of 22,206 per 100,000 population.

Greenlee County still has the lowest rate of cases by county in the state with 13,918 per 100,000 population. Greenlee is followed by Cochise County with 15,017 cases per 100,000 population and Yavapai County with 15,293 cases per 100,000 population. The state’s average is 18,698 cases per 100,000 population. 

While some cases are asymptomatic or improve within a week or two, other cases have lingered with mild to severe effects for months and even more than a year, while it proves fatal to others. While those who have already had the virus and survived likely have natural antibodies to fight the virus from quickly returning, for those who have not had the virus the best way to avoid catching it is to be vaccinated.

The ADHS recently put out new data regarding rates of COVID-19 by vaccination statusClick here to go through the data, which states that in October unvaccinated people had nearly a 4 times greater chance of contracting COVID-19 and 15 times greater risk of dying from it. 

The Graham County Department of Health and Human Services offers free vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson and has booster shots for those 18 and over. Additionally, children 5 and up can receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and adults can have any of the three. The health department provides the vaccine Mondays from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Thursdays from 2 – 5 p.m., and the Pfizer vaccine for those 5 and older on Thursdays from 5 – 7:30 p.m. and Fridays from 2 – 5 p.m. Click here to register to receive a vaccine. Vaccines are also available at local pharmacies and, in Greenlee County, at Gila Health Resources.

Winter and Holiday Hours at Copper Mountain Clinic

Copper Mountain Clinic offers drive-up COVID-19 testing with results within 24 hours. The clinic will be open during winter hours on Monday – Friday, from 1 – 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. The clinic will be closed Dec. 24-27, 2021, and Jan. 1, 2022.