Graham and Greenlee counties show no increase as COVID-19 continues to rise in Arizona

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

PHOENIX – With more than half of all positive cases, Maricopa County is approaching 1,000 positive test results for the novel coronavirus COVID-19. 

As of Thursday morning, Arizona had 1,598 total positive test results and 32 people have died from the virus. 

The most populous county, Maricopa County, had 961 positive test results followed by the second most populous county, Pima County, with 237. 

The Navajo Nation has been hard-hit by the virus, and the test counts in Navajo County show by having the third highest amount at 129 positive cases. That number is followed by Coconino County with 114, Pinal County – 69, Yavapai County – 34, Apache County – 19, Yuma County – 13, Mohave County – 8, Cochise County – 4, Santa Cruz County – 3, La Paz County – 2, Gila County – 2, Graham County – 2, and Greenlee County – 1. 

Graham County has not had a positive test since near the start of the outbreak, and the two people who positively contracted the virus have made a full recovery and are no longer contagious. Greenlee County has kept its number at the sole single positive test for nearly a week. There have been no hospitalizations for COVID-19 cases in Graham or Greenlee counties. In Cochise County, however, health officials believe they now have community spread of the virus after a woman who had not recently traveled anywhere contracted it.  

As of Thursday morning, 21,058 tests have been given in Arizona with 72 taken in Graham County and 36 in Greenlee County. Only 6 percent of all the tests taken have come back as positive.  

People throughout Arizona are still complaining about the difficulty of getting a test, however, and some in other counties – even those showing multiple symptoms of the virus – have been sent home with a request to self-isolate without being given a test even though healthcare providers greatly suspect they have it.

Arizona issued new testing guidance March 25 and advised primary care providers to simply manage all patients with respiratory conditions as if they have COVID-19 and forgo the test altogether.