Graham County lists 2,473 total for the pandemic, with 39 deaths
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – The Graham County Department of Health and Human Services announced a new Safford death attributed to COVID-19 on Thursday, putting the number of deaths to 39 for the pandemic and four in the last week.
The deceased was a Safford resident over the age of 65. No further information about the resident or the death was released.
The department also reported 35 new positive tests on Thursday to push the county’s total for the pandemic to 2,473.
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 and December is on pace to build on that number as well.
As of Thursday, Graham County had 2,473 total confirmed cases, with 1,401 recovered, 1,033 actives, and 39 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 6.3 percent of Graham County has tested positive for COVID-19, with the currently active number at 2.6 percent.
A total of 39 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.
Last week, 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 17 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 at the Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center as of Tuesday.
According to the state’s database, Graham County’s positive test cases include 506 who are under 20 years of age, 1,069 between 20-44, 293 between 45-54, 267 between 55-64, 333 who are 65 years old or older, and five 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 two new positive tests on Wednesday to raise its total for the pandemic to 313.
The health department has administered tests to 3,079 people as of Wednesday, with 2,766 being negative, and 313 positives, according to the department. The county has 193 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 309 positives currently) includes 51 under the age of 20, 152 between 20-44, 42 between 45-54, 38 between 55-64, and 26 who are 65 years old or older.
The Greenlee County Board of Supervisors deadlocked with a 1-1 tie to extend its mask mandate, which will effectively end the mandate on Dec. 12 if nothing more occurs. Supervisor David Gomez was absent due to illness and Supervisor Richard Lunt (Duncan) voted against extending the mandate as he has every vote. A special meeting has been called for Friday, Dec. 11 to discuss the mask mandate and possibly extend it with the full quorum of supervisors
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 Tuesday, the San Carlos Apache Tribe Department of Health & Human Services reported 31 new cases. To date, the Tribe has administered 15,899 tests with 12,704 negatives, 3,088 positives, and 107 results pending.
The Tribe lists 181 currently active cases, with 2,873 recovered cases, and 34 deaths.
The area breakdown on the reservation includes Gilson Wash – 520 positive, 484 recovered, 23 active, 13 deaths; Peridot – 1,042 positive, 963 recovered, 65 active, 14 positive, 7-Mile – 642 positive, 587 recovered, 49 active, six deaths, Bylas – 685 positive, 664 recovered, 20 active, one death; other areas – 199 positive, 175 recovered, 24 active.
Statewide
For the state, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported 4,928 new cases Thursday to bring the total to 387,529 for the state. It reported 73 new deaths to increase the total fatalities due, at least in part, to COVID-19 to and amended 7,154 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 241,880, Pima County – 48,436, Yuma County – 21,100, Pinal County – 19,941, Navajo County – 9,313, Coconino County – 8,680, Mohave County – 7,981, Yavapai County – 7,250, Apache County – 6,182, Cochise County – 4,829, Santa Cruz County – 4,646, Gila County – 3,464, Graham County – 2,473, La Paz County – 1,045, Greenlee County – 309 (county lists 313).
