Cases 123,824 | Deaths 2,245 | Diagnostic Tests 701,703.
On July 13, the state reported 1,357 new cases and eight new deaths. For the past week, Pima County has been nearing ICU bed capacity. According to the Associated Press, ventilator use for COVID-19 patients in the state is also reaching new heights.
Pima County was close to ICU bed capacity much of last week
AZPM
Hospitals in Pima County had 32 ICU beds available out of a total of 357 as of Thursday afternoon, according to the Pima County Department of Health.
More than 300 beds were in use, a number that remained steady throughout the week. On Tuesday, fewer than two-dozen ICU beds were available.
Regular hospital beds were also nearing capacity in Pima County, with fewer than 130 of the total beds available.
Wednesday was the week's biggest day for COVID-19 hospital admissions in the county. On that day, 70 people were admitted to the hospital. During the rest of the week that number was between 38 and 57. Hospital discharges showed a slight increase during the second half of the week but were still being outpaced by admissions.
The county had more than 100 ventilators available, though COVID related demand for those is increasing.
11,856 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Pima County with 327 deaths as of July 13. Pima County’s case count is second only to Maricopa County, where more than 81,000 cases have been confirmed.
Arizona among states at greatest risk level for COVID-19
AZPM
A risk-level map from the Harvard Global Health Institute shows Arizona in the red category, meaning that according to the project's researchers the state is at a "tipping point" for coronavirus, and stay-at-home orders are needed.
The map was launched on July 1 to help officials and the public make informed decisions about the pandemic. It was updated July 10.
Arizona is one of eight states in the red category, meaning the seven-day average of new infections is greater than 25 per 100,000 people. Arizona's current infection rate is double that at 49.8, and higher than any other state or nation.
The map has four levels of concern, ranging from green to red. Currently no U.S. state qualifies as green, which means none is on track to contain the virus.
Pima County Latino communities search for COVID-19 testing, care
AZPM
Vanessa Gallego spent the better part of last week trying get her uncle’s family tested for COVID-19.
She said her uncle called in a panic after the family was exposed to someone with the virus. They wanted answers as soon as possible and most places were backed up for days. That’s why she was contacting a specific clinic that promised results within thirty minutes. But it came at a cost.
"[The test is] $125 per person. And this is a family of four. So you can do the math and see how expensive this would be for a family to test for one moment in time," she said.
Gallego is a Southside business owner and an organizer with Families United Gaining Mobility. The organization addresses access issues in predominantly Latino neighborhoods in Tucson’s south and west sides. She said families in those areas face challenges made worse by the pandemic. Immigration status can block people from accessing healthcare. Plus, fear of running into immigration or Border Patrol agents may prevent people from getting tested at all.
"If there is support on the Southside, it’s not enough. Because historically, we’ve seen that, whatever resources we have, it’s still not enough," she said.
Researchers developing wearable technology to fight coronavirus spread
AZPM
Tiny health-monitoring devices can tell us how many steps we’ve taken or how many calories we’ve consumed. Researchers are developing the same kind of technology to help in the fight against COVID-19.
Researchers hope to eventually make a wearable technology that can detect the coronavirus. But they admit that development is far in the future.
What is available — right now — are devices that can let you know about your immediate condition and tell you whether sickness might be around the corner. Wearable technology help users detect trends. If your average body temperature takes a sudden jump, for example, it could be an early warning sign of a coronavirus symptom.
University of Arizona student Hailey Swanson has tested the BioStamp. It’s a postage stamp-sized device that sticks to your arm, shoulder or leg and collects data about your vital signs.
Information from the BioStamp can be transmitted to a cell phone or a tablet. It can then be viewed by the wearer, who can send the data to a physician.
Ducey's popularity in polls on the decline
AZPM
Gov. Doug Ducey’s popularity has taken a big hit since the number of COVID-19 cases began to climb in June. A new poll from OH Predictive Insights in Phoenix shows that 35% of Arizonans approve of the job he is doing. That's down 22 points in the last month.
The poll also shows that 52% of Arizonans are now extremely concerned about the spread of the novel coronavirus. In April less than half of Arizonans were extremely concerned.
This poll is the second in a week that has Ducey’s approval ratings in the 30s. Last week a group called Covid States published a poll that had Ducey’s approval at 32%, the lowest gubernatorial approval rating in the country.
Mexico seeks to ensure access to COVID-19 treatment, vaccines
Fronteras Desk
A top Mexican official says the country is negotiating with the United States to ensure regional access to COVID-19 treatments or vaccines.
Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard is working on the issue with US Vice President Mike Pence, who is head of the White House’s coronavirus task force, according to comments Ebrard made Friday morning.
“The instruction we received from President [Andrés Manuel] López Obrador es to work with the vice president so that we are in sync and have early access at the same time as a region, as North America,” he said.
Apart from being necessary to save lives, Ebrard said equitable access for the region is also necessary given the deep economic integration between Mexico, the United States and Canada. Access to a vaccine, or lack thereof, could also impact economic growth and investment.
Arizona sees new highs in COVID-19 ventilator, ICU bed use
AP
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona is reporting all-time highs in coronavirus patients using ventilators and occupying beds in intensive-care units. The state Department of Health Services said 671 COVID-19 patients were on ventilators and 936 were in intensive care as of Sunday. Hospitals were hovering around 90% capacity. Health officials have reported 1,357 confirmed COVID-19 cases and eight additional deaths.
The state became one of the nation’s coronavirus hot spots in May after Gov. Doug Ducey relaxed stay-at-home orders and other restrictions. A federal judge heard arguments Monday in a fitness chain’s challenge to Ducey’s order shutting down gyms, bars and water parks until at least July 27.
Navajo Nation coronavirus death toll now more than 400
AP
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Navajo Nation officials are reporting five additional coronavirus-related deaths as well as 45 more confirmed cases on the tribe’s sprawling reservation. That pushes the death toll to 401 with the total confirmed COVID-19 cases to 8,187 as of Sunday night.
Tribal officials say 64,128 people on the reservation have been tested for the coronavirus and 5,856 people had COVID-19 but recovered. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick. The reservation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
Tribes struggle to meet deadline to spend virus relief aid
AP
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Tribes across the country are wrestling with competing needs, restrictive laws and inadequate staffing as they try to meet a tight federal deadline on spending billions of dollars in virus relief funds. Congress set aside $8 billion for tribes that must be spent by the end of the year and meet strict federal guidelines. Otherwise, the tribes risk having to send it back.
Officials on the vast Navajo Nation have received $714 million in aid but approved just $60 million for health care, protective equipment and front-line workers against the virus. Rifts between the tribal government's legislative and executive branches have delayed putting more of the money to use.
Arizona will use experimental drug to help COVID-19 patients
AP
PHOENIX (AP) — Gov. Doug Ducey says Arizona will be getting 361 cases of the experimental antiviral drug Remdesivir, which appears to help patients with COVID-19 recover faster.
The drug received emergency approval in May by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The shipment comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as Arizona deals with a surging number of coronavirus cases.
Health officials reported 2,537 more confirmed coronavirus cases and 86 additional deaths Sunday. That brings the state’s totals to nearly 122,500 COVID-19 cases and more than 2,200 known fatalities. Arizona became one of the nation’s coronavirus hot spots in May after Ducey relaxed stay-home orders and other restrictions.
Arizona courts test remote trials
AZPM
Arizona courts are entering new legal waters by exploring innovative ways to hold jury trials during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mohave County recently held a criminal trial during which jurors viewed the proceedings by watching Zoom from elsewhere in the courthouse to help the panel and other trial participants spread out. Maricopa County Superior Court officials put trials on hold during the pandemic but now plan to begin empaneling new juries starting Aug. 1, but with changes in the courthouses and the possibility that some jurors would serve remotely from home.
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