Graham County now lists 122 deaths attributed to COVID-19
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – On Wednesday, the Graham County Department of Health and Human Services reported an additional death attributed to COVID-19 bringing its total for the pandemic to 122 deaths.
The health department also reported 41 additional confirmed cases on Wednesday to bring its total for the pandemic to 8,137, with 7,313 recoveries, 690 active cases, and 122 deaths. Graham County has a COVID-19 death rate of 1.5 percent per confirmed case.
The state has had 1,223,892 confirmed cases, with 21,752 deaths for a death rate of 1.78 percent.
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Graham County has a COVID-19 rate of 21,148 per 100,000 population. That is good for the worst rate out of any of Arizona’s 15 counties, with the next closest being Navajo County with a rate of 20,715 per 100,000 population, and Apache County with a rate of 20,666 per 100,000 population.
Conversely, despite a recent uptick in cases, Greenlee County has the lowest rate of cases by county in the state with 12,510 per 100,000 population. Greenlee is followed by Cochise County with 13,090 cases per 100,000 population, and Yavapai County with 13,185 cases per 100,000 population. The state’s average is 17,024 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 Graham County Department of Health and Human Services offers free vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Now, children 5 and up can receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and adults can have any of the three. The department is now also offering booster shots for those over the age of 65, immunocompromised population 18 and older, and those in high-exposure jobs who are 18 and older. The health department provides the vaccine Mondays-Wednesdays from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Thursdays from 2 – 5 p.m., and the Pfizer vaccine on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 – 7:30 p.m. Click here to register to receive a vaccine.
Greenlee County
The Greenlee County Health Department reported nine new cases on Tuesday and 16 on Monday to put its current total at 1,342 for the course of the pandemic, with 1,138 recoveries, 288 active cases, and 16 deaths.
Greenlee County is offering the COVID-19 vaccine for everyone ages 5 and up and also has booster shots for those over the age of 65, immunocompromised population 18 and older, and those in high-exposure jobs who are 18 and older. Booster shots are expected to be recommended for the general population in the coming months.
