Graham and Greenlee counties both see second COVID-19 deaths this week

A Pima resident's death has been contributed to COVID-19.

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

GRAHAM AND GREENLEE COUNTIES – While the total number of cases continues to decline, both Graham and Greenlee counties reported two new resident deaths attributed to COVID-19 this week.

According to the Arizona Department of Health and Human Services, Graham County reported an additional COVID-19 death on Thursday, putting its total for the pandemic to 169. The county also listed 45 new confirmed cases on Thursday.

Graham County’s active caseload has dropped to 1,616. The county has had 11,795 total cases for the course of the pandemic, with 10,010 recoveries, and 169 deaths.

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) put out data regarding rates of COVID-19 by vaccination statusClick here to go through the data, which states that in December unvaccinated people had a 4 times greater chance of contracting COVID-19, a 24 times greater risk of hospitalization, and 58 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 such as Palo Verde Pharmacy in Pima, and, in Greenlee County, at Gila Health Resources. 

Greenlee County

Greenlee County has weathered the COVID-19 storm better than most counties in Arizona, however, it has reported its second death this week attributed to COVID-19. 

According to the Greenlee County Health Department, the most recent resident death was of a Morenci-area resident in their 40s. 

Greenlee County has had 32 total COVID-19 attributed deaths since the start of the pandemic in April 2020. A total of 14 deaths have been from the Duncan area, 12 from the Clifton area, and six from the Morenci area. 

After seeing daily double-digit increases in cases, Greenlee County has most recently returned to only a few new cases per day, and the health department listed just four new cases on Thursday. The county currently had 47 active cases listed, out of 2,297 total cases for the course of the pandemic, with 2,218 recoveries, and 32 deaths.