State reports record number of one-day COVID-19 deaths at 108

Graham County lists 2,438 total for the pandemic, with 38 deaths

By Jon Johnson

SAFFORD – The Arizona Department of Health Services listed a new one-day record number of new COVID-19 deaths, with 108 reported on Wednesday. The news came one day after it had a record number of new cases, with 12,314 reported on Tuesday.

The new cases are coupled with increased hospitalizations, limiting current ICU beds to just 10 percent throughout the state.

The Graham County Department of Health and Human Services announced 19 new positive tests on Wednesday to push the county’s total for the pandemic to 2,438. The new tests include 12 from Safford, six from Thatcher, and one from the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

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 Wednesday, Graham County had 2,438 total confirmed cases, with 1,375 recovered, 1,025 actives, and 38 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 6.2 percent of Graham County has tested positive for COVID-19, with the currently active number at 2.6 percent.

A total of 38 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.

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, 1,056 between 20-44, 290 between 45-54, 257 between 55-64, 324 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 six new positive tests on Tuesday to raise its total for the pandemic to 311.

The health department has administered tests to 3,050 people as of Tuesday, with 2,739 being negative, and 311 positives, according to the department. The county has 191 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 304 positives currently) includes 50 under the age of 20, 148 between 20-44, 43 between 45-54, 37 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 would 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. The supervisors have set an emergency meeting for Friday, Dec. 11 to discuss the mask mandate with a full group, which will likely result in an emergency extension.

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 Wednesday, the San Carlos Apache Tribe Department of Health & Human Services reported 26 new cases. To date, the Tribe has administered 15,781 tests with 12,619 negatives, 3,057 positives, and 105 results pending.

The Tribe lists 181 currently active cases, with 2,842 recovered cases, and 34 deaths.

The area breakdown on the reservation includes Gilson Wash – 517 positive, 482 recovered, 22 active, 13 deaths; Peridot – 1,029 positive, 947 recovered, 68 active, 14 deaths; 7-Mile – 639 positive, 580 recovered, 53 active, six deaths; Bylas – 678 positive, 659 recovered, 18 active, one death; other areas – 194 positive, 174 recovered, 20 active.

Statewide

For the state, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported 4,444 new cases Tuesday to bring the total to 382,601 for the state. It reported 108 new deaths to increase the total fatalities due, at least in part, to COVID-19 to and amended 7,081 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 239,417, Pima County – 47,570, Yuma County – 20,788, Pinal County – 19,649, Navajo County – 9,159, Coconino County – 8,569, Mohave County – 7,743, Yavapai County – 7,120, Apache County – 6,039, Cochise County – 4,747, Santa Cruz County – 4,605, Gila County – 3,422, Graham County – 2,438, La Paz County – 1,031, Greenlee County – 304 (county lists 311).

The county with the highest rate of cases per 100,000 people currently is Yuma, followed by Santa Cruz, Apache, and Navajo counties.