Graham and Greenlee continue to have fewest positive COVID-19 tests in the state

Only four total patients between both counties with no hospitalizations

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

GRAHAM AND GREENLEE COUNTIES – While numbers of positive tests for the novel coronavirus COVID-19 continue to rise elsewhere in the state, Graham and Greenlee counties have remained at the lowest spectrum. 

Graham County hasn’t had a positive test for the virus since the start of the outbreak when a fifth- and sixth-grade staff member at Pima Elementary School tested positive after an out-of-state trip. That staff member seemingly passed the virus onto a student, who tested positive during a clinic at the Pima Junior High School the week of March 16-20. Both patients have made full recoveries. 

In Greenlee County, just as its patient zero was listed as having made a full recovery and was no longer contagious, a family member in his home received a positive test result Thursday, April 9. 

Greenlee County has begun to utilize rapid test kits and no spread from the second patient has been found; as in no other contacts have tested positive. So far, in Graham and Greenlee counties, any spread of the virus has been from close-contact and not community spread. 

Graham County is also set to begin utilizing rapid test kits within the next week or so, according to Graham County Health Department Director Brian Douglas. 

Statewide, there were 3,702 positive cases reported by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) as of Monday with 122 deaths. Maricopa County has more than half of all cases with 2,020, followed by Pima County with 668, Navajo County – 345, Coconino County – 253, Pinal County – 168, Apache County – 89, Yavapai County – 65, Mohave County – 40, Yuma County – 17, Cochise County – 16 (none in the Willcox zip code), Santa Cruz County – 10, La Paz County – 4, Gila County – 3, Greenlee County – 2, and Graham County – 2. 

According to the AZDHS, Graham County has done 145 tests for the virus and Greenlee County has performed 54. 

Nine inmates in Arizona state prisons have tested positive

Nine inmates in Arizona state prisons have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Monday, with five tests still pending. No state prison inmate has been tested in the Safford area. 

The areas with the positive test results include three inmates at Eyman (just east of Florence), two in Florence, one in Tucson, and three in Marana.  

San Carlos Apache Reservation bans non-members 

On Saturday, an emergency meeting by several San Carlos Apache Tribe entities was held and additional measures were implemented by the San Carlos Apache Tribal Council to help fight the possible spread of the disease onto tribal land. 

According to the San Carlos Apache Tribe resolution, the new measures include banning all wakes and funeral services and limiting a burial site to 10 people; restricting gatherings at private residences to just 10 people except for those who already live there; banning non-members from the reservation; requiring vendors to wear face masks and gloves, and requesting residents to wear them as well. The resolution amends earlier resolutions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Contributed Photo: This sign off Blackrock Road in Fort Thomas advises of the San Carlos Reservation’s closure to non-tribal members.

While non-members are banned according to the decree, exceptions are made for those who are residents, married to a tribal member, first responders, healthcare workers, or essential employees of the government or economic development enterprises, businesses, or activities. 

The tribal council is also discouraging its members from traveling off the reservation and have a general curfew between 10 p.m. – 6 a.m.