Arizona COVID-19 cumulative counts, Dec. 14
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Select regional and national coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic as of Wednesday, April 15. For more coverage, visit our resource page. This story may be updated.
Unemployment payments strain Arizona budget
AZPM, April 15
First-time filers of unemployment claims in Arizona rose by 95,000 people the week ending April 11, 2020. That is a drop of 37,000 filers compared to the previous week, but it is still well above the usual 3,000 claims filed most weeks.
The state originally reported first-time claims for the week ending April 4 as 129,215, but the number was revised up.
As a result of the increasing number of first-time unemployment claims, the number of people on unemployment is rising in the state. For the week ending April 11, that number was 164,483 and represented an increase of more than 100,000 over the previous week.
That increase means the state is paying more money. Last week’s benefits paid totaled just shy of $27 million, a 386% increase. That could be bad news for the state budget.
UA to offer campus-wide antibody testing
Capitol Media Services, April 15
The University of Arizona will offer optional testing for faculty, staff and students for COVID-19 antibodies.
The testing will help the university determine what measures need to be taken to reopen, according to President Robert Robbins, and test results will not be used to deny admission to classrooms. Robbins said they're taking a "leap of faith" that a positive antibody result suggests someone has some immunity.
The results will allow members of the campus community make a decision about whether or not they feel safe to return, he said, adding that he expects tests to be ready May 1 at the latest.
Read more at Tucson.com.
Tucson considering layoffs, furloughs
Arizona Daily Star, April 15
Revenue losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic may mean layoffs and furloughs for employees at the city of Tucson.
City Manager Michael Ortega told City Council members Tuesday that such actions would be a "last option" but that they can't be ruled out.
The council on Tuesday held an initial discussion regarding the financial impacts of the pandemic on the city budget. Read more at Tucson.com.
Nursing homes see spike in coronavirus cases
Arizona Republic, April 15
COVID-19 cases in long-term care facilities in Arizona's two most populous counties saw a spike over the past week.
In Maricopa county, the facilities accounted for nearly half of all coronavirus-related deaths. Staff at such locations — which include nursing homes, assisted living, rehabilitation and hospice — reported another 102 cases in that county. Gov. Doug Ducey's administration has refused to identify which facilities have high rates of COVID-19 cases.
Read more at AZCentral.com.
Navajo Nation to extend weekend curfew amid coronavirus
AP, April 15
PHOENIX (The Arizona Republic) — The Navajo Nation has announced plans to continue its weekend overnight curfew through the first weekend in May to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
The Arizona Republic reported that Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez announced extended plans on Tuesday after first implementing the 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday curfew on Easter weekend. Navajo Nation spokesperson Jared Touchin says the order is expected to be finalized in the coming days.
The Navajo Police Department enforced the curfew by setting up checkpoints and issuing more than 170 citations to violators, which could include a fine up to $1,000 and 30 days in jail.
Arizona willing to host MLB, which cuts senior staff pay
AP, April 15
NEW YORK (AP) — Arizona's governor is willing to host all 30 major league teams at the time public health concerns allow. That eventually could lead to the start of the baseball season primarily in empty spring training ballparks.
Major League Baseball and the players’ association have had preliminary discussions of how they would start if given the go-ahead by government and health officials. MLB is cutting the salary of senior staff by an average of 35% for this year due to the new coronavirus’ impact on the season. It is guaranteeing paychecks to its full-time employees of its central office through May.
US relief checks begin arriving as economic damage piles up
AP, April 15
WASHINGTON (AP) — Government relief checks are arriving in Americans’ bank accounts as the damage to the U.S. economy piles up. And sluggish sales at reopened businesses in Europe and China are making it clear that things won’t necessarily bounce right back when the crisis eases.
American industrial output shriveled in March, registering its biggest decline since demobilization at the end of World War II in 1946, and retail sales fell by an unprecedented 8.7%.
Emerging economic data reveals devastation; job losses grow
AP, April 15
The first U.S. economic indicators to capture the devastation brought on by the pandemic have begun to arrive. The plunge in retail sales exceeded what happened during the economic crisis a decade ago and industrial production posted the biggest declines since the United States demobilized after World War II.
The steady beat of job losses continued Wednesday. Best Buy, the electronics retailer, announced 51,000 furloughs.
Government nears lending limit on small business program
NEW YORK (AP) — The government is approaching the $349 billion lending limit on its Paycheck Protection Program that is funneling relief money to the nation’s small businesses.
The Small Business Administration says that as of Wednesday afternoon, it had approved nearly 1.38 million loans totaling more than $301 billion. The Trump administration has asked Congress for another $250 billion for the program. However, that request has stalled in the Senate.
It’s unclear how much money has actually been distributed from the program. Thousands of business owners are still awaiting word on their loan applications. The program began April 3.
UA, state health agency partner on antibody tests
AZPM, April 14
Arizona's first responders and other medical workers will be the first to use a new COVID-19 antibody test developed at the University of Arizona. The presence of COVID-19 antibodies in a person's blood can indicate that their immune system has recently fought off coronavirus disease. And that, in turn, may mean the person is immune from catching it again, at least for a while.
At a Tuesday news conference, Gov. Doug Ducey announced the state Department of Health Services has partnered with the UA to provide 250,000 COVID-19 antibody tests for those people he called "frontline medical personnel."
Arizona governor eyes reopening economy 'when it's safe'
AP, April 14
PHOENIX (AP) — Gov. Doug Ducey says he’s beginning discussions about how to ease up on the social distancing requirements that have left businesses closed and a record number of workers jobless.
But he said Tuesday nobody should expect the economy to turn back on as quickly as it came grinding to a halt in an effort to control the spread of the coronavirus.
Ducey said his current stay-at-home order is in effect through April 30, and it’s an “aspirational” goal to ease restrictions on businesses after that. But he said he’d extend or revise his orders if necessary.
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