County lists 2,314 total for the pandemic, with 1,267 recovered, 1,010 active, and 37 deaths
A Pima resident’s death has been contributed to COVID-19.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – A Pima resident’s death due to COVID-19 was reported by the Graham County Department of Health Services on Friday, putting the county’s total for the pandemic to 37.
The resident was over the age of 65, and no further information about the resident was released.
The Graham County Department of Health and Human Services announced 37 new positive tests on Friday to push the county’s total for the pandemic to 2,314.
After having its biggest increase of cases in one month in October (408), Graham County easily surpassed that mark with 968 new positive tests in November.
As of Thursday, Graham County had 2,314 total confirmed cases, with 1,267 recovered, 1,010 actives, and 37 deaths. According to GCDHHS criteria, a positive test is not considered a recovered patient until they have 30 days symptom-free. Graham County has about 39,000 residents. A total of 5.9 percent of Graham County has tested positive for COVID-19, with the currently active number at 2.6 percent.
A total of 37 people, nearly all over the age of 65 and who had pre-existing health conditions, have died with COVID-19 in Graham County. About 1.6 percent of those who have tested positive for the virus in Graham County have died after contracting it. However, that number jumps to about 10 percent for elderly patients.
On Wednesday, Gov. Doug Ducey instituted three new executive orders, one restricting gatherings to fewer than 50 people, one that makes it easier for restaurants to get permits for outdoor dining, and another that requires health insurers to pay for a patient’s COVID-19 vaccination. A vaccine should be in Arizona in the next few weeks, with healthcare workers and the elderly being serviced first.
There were 15 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 at the Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center as of Thursday.
According to the state’s database, Graham County’s positive test cases include 487 who are under 20 years of age, 1,001 between 20-44, 268 between 45-54, 243 between 55-64, 311 who are 65 years old or older, and four unknown.
The ever-increasing positive tests have moved the Graham County Board of Supervisors to issue a mask mandate while in public for Graham County. The regulation includes all parts of incorporated (towns and cities) and unincorporated Graham County.
The health department will hold a testing blitz on Friday, Dec. 11, from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Graham County Fairgrounds.
Greenlee County
The Greenlee County Health Department listed 12 new positive tests on Thursday to raise its total for the pandemic to 288.
The health department has administered tests to 2,869 people as of Thursday, with 2,581 being negative, and 288 positives, according to the department. The county has 168 active cases, 117 recovered cases, and three deaths. Greenlee County has about 10,000 residents.
The breakdown of the Greenlee cases currently listed on the ADHS’ data dashboard (which only shows 277 positives currently) includes 47 under the age of 20, 131 between 20-44, 40 between 45-54, 35 between 55-64, and 24 who are 65 years old or older.
San Carlos Apache Tribe
The San Carlos Apache Tribe stretches into both Graham and Gila counties and its cases add to the respective counties’ cases based on the geography of where the patients reside.
On Friday, Nov. 20, the San Carlos Council issued a two-week stay-at-home mandate effective Nov. 21 – Dec. 5, with Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays designated as essential days. The mandate makes and does not include essential trips to secure food, medical supplies, essential employees, school-related requirements, the post office, planning or attending funerals with a crowd size less than 10, deliveries, construction or repair workers, or those with valid permits for camping, hunting, or fishing.
On Friday, the San Carlos Apache Tribe Department of Health & Human Services reported 24 new cases. To date, the Tribe has administered 15,280 tests with 12,279 negatives, 2,921 positives, and 80 results pending.
The Tribe lists 196 currently active cases, with 2,693 recovered cases, and 32 deaths.
The area breakdown on the reservation includes Gilson Wash – 500 positive, 462 recovered, 26 active, 12 deaths; Peridot – 977 positive, 892 recovered, 72 active, 13 deaths; 7-Mile – 594 positive, 536 recovered, 52 active, six deaths; Bylas – 667 positive, 637 recovered, 29 active, one death; other areas – 183 positive, 166 recovered, 17 active.
Statewide
For the state, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported 5,680 new cases Friday to bring the total to 352,101 for the state. It reported 64 new deaths to increase the total fatalities due, at least in part, to COVID-19 to and amended 6,885 in Arizona. The state has about 7.3 million residents and nearly two million tests have been taken.
Reported positive cases in the various counties include Maricopa County with 222,218, Pima County – 42,698, Yuma County – 18,752, Pinal County – 18,046, Navajo County – 8,519, Coconino County – 7,897, Mohave County – 6,940, Yavapai County – 6,212, Apache County – 5,702, Santa Cruz County – 4,226, Cochise County – 4,106, Gila County – 3,226, Graham County – 2,314, La Paz County – 958, Greenlee County – 277 (county lists 288).
