Arizona COVID-19 cases: 7 days
Cases 743,232 | Deaths 12,819
On Thursday, Jan. 28, Arizona reported 4,671 new cases of COVID-19 and 176 additional deaths.
More than a half-million COVID-19 vaccines distributed in AZ
AZPM
The state Department of Health Services announced Wednesday that 518,000 people have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Of the vaccines given in Arizona 79,000 are second doses, which is equal to 1.09% of the state’s population.
Arizona’s rate of second vaccinations is on par with the national number of second doses which is 1.05% according to the CDC.
Scientists say 65-70% of the population must receive both doses of the vaccine before herd immunity is reached.
Vaccination leaders welcome promise of better communication
AZPM
A small policy change in Washington D.C. could be a big help to local officials leading the COVID-19 vaccination effort.
Vaccine is in short supply, but so is information. The chief medical officer of Pima County, Doctor Francisco Garcia, says it's hard to make long term plans for distributing vaccines, when the state and the county don't know how many doses the federal government is sending until just a few days in advance.
That's set to change now that President Joe Biden has promised to tell states three weeks in advance how much vaccine they'll be receiving.
Cocopah Indian Tribe COVID-19 vaccine rollout, evaluating public's interest
AZPM
Officials familiar with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout for the Cocopah Indian Tribe in Yuma County say it has gone smoothly and the local health facility has been able use all of the vaccine doses allotted to them, but there are questions if the general public will want to be vaccinated.
Most Arizonans are getting their vaccines through their counties, but federally-recognized tribes also have access to vaccines through Indian Health Services — the federal agency responsible for the health care of tribal members. Some tribes have decided to get the vaccines through IHS, others are using state-supplied vaccines provided through their local counties.
Republicans want to change election verification counts
AZPM
House Bill 2039 would increase the number of ballots that must be randomly counted by hand after an election.
The proposal was passed by the House Government and Elections Committee on Wednesday.
Current law requires a random, 2% hand count of ballots in each county to ensure the electronic tally was correct. The bill would require a “statistically significant” number of ballots be counted instead of 2%.
The proposal also would allow the state Attorney General, Secretary of State, or legislative council to request a higher number of ballots be counted by hand.
That idea concerned Democrats on the committee. The Arizona Association of Counties is also opposed to the bill.
Pima County deputies accuse 48 of street racing
AP
Pima County Sheriff’s officials say they are cracking down on illegal street racing south of the Tucson city limits. They say about 75 vehicles gathered to race last weekend and some raced at speeds of around 100 mph on a county road a few miles east of Tucson International Airport.
Authorities say some of the cars reportedly weren’t street legal and were brought to the location on trailers. But as San Xavier District Patrol deputies approached the area, vehicles began to scatter. Deputies were able to locate 30 of the vehicles involved.
Sheriff’s officials say 48 people were arrested at the scene on accusations of participating in street racing.
2 Arizona inmates caught in cotton field 4 days after escape
AP
COOLIDGE — Two inmates who escaped from an Arizona prison in Florence last weekend have been recaptured Thursday in Coolidge.
Police in Coolidge said police officers and U.S. deputy marshals captured and arrested David T. Harmon and John B. Charpiot after police received calls from at least two residents who reported seeing the inmates.
Harmon and Chariot escaped Saturday from the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence by using tools to breach a fence.
Charpiot was serving a 35-year sentence on Maricopa County convictions for molestation of a child and sexual abuse, while Harmon was serving convictions in Maricopa County for kidnapping and second-degree burglary.
Arizona sees rates of additional virus cases and deaths drop
AP
PHOENIX — Arizona on Thursday reported 4,671 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and 176 more deaths as rates of additional cases and deaths dropped.
Arizona has the worst COVID-19 diagnosis rate among U.S. states, but seven-day rolling averages of known daily cases and daily deaths declined over the past two weeks, and the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has dropped from the pandemic high of 5,082 on Jan. 11 to 4,087 as of Wednesday.
Hospital officials on Wednesday warned residents not to become complacent by the drops in cases and hospitalizations, and they stressed the importance of wearing masks and social distancing.
Navajo Nation reports 152 new COVID-19 cases, 4 more deaths
AP
WINDOW ROCK — Navajo Nation health officials on Wednesday reported 152 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths. The latest figures bring the total reported coronavirus cases on the reservation to 27,887 with 989 known deaths.
On Monday, the tribe extended its stay-at-home order with a revised nightly curfew to limit the spread of COVID-19. The Navajo Department of Health has identified 53 communities with uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus, down from 75 communities in recent weeks.
The Navajo Nation also is lifting weekend lockdowns to allow more vaccination events. The actions in the latest public health emergency order will run through at least Feb. 15.
The Navajo Nation extends into Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
Navajo Nation reports error in hardship assistance checks
AP
FARMINGTON, N.M. — The Navajo Nation says about 120,000 checks have been issued to tribal members who applied for hardship assistance amid the coronavirus pandemic. The tribal controller's office says the total includes 370 checks that were duplicated because of a printer server failure.
Controller Pearline Kirk says office personnel are planning to contact applicants affected by the error with more information. Staff also will void duplicate checks that haven't been processed.
The hardship assistance program is paid for by a portion of the $714 million the Navajo Nation received from a federal coronavirus relief bill.
INEGI: Mexico’s COVID-19 Death Toll At Least 45% Higher Than Reported
Fronteras Desk
Mexico’s national statistics agency has published an analysis of death certificates that shows coronavirus fatalities during the first eight months of last year were significantly higher than the federal government has reported.
The statistic’s agency INEGI has released data showing there were nearly 109,000 COVID-19 deaths in Mexico from January to August 2020. That’s about 45% higher than the 75,000 deaths the Health Ministry reported during that time period.
The discrepancy is at least partially due to the high number of people in Mexico dying at home instead of in hospitals, according to INEGI leaders.
Survey: 3 In 10 People In Sonoran Capital Would Decline COVID-19 Vaccine
Fronteras Desk
It’s unclear how long it will take for vaccines to become available to the public in Sonora. But if they could get it today, three in 10 Hermosillo residents surveyed by the citizens group Hermosillo ¿Cómo Vamos? said they would turn down a vaccination.
Among the more than 1,600 respondents, nearly 75% felt it was likely they or their loved ones would catch the virus, and 80% thought there would be serious repercussions if they did. But only 35% said they were closely following the state’s stay at home orders. That's down from 60% in July.
And of survey respondents who had experienced coronavirus symptoms, only about half said they had been tested for the virus.
GOP lawmakers fast-tracking bill blocking energy standards
AP
PHOENIX — The Arizona Legislature is fast-tracking a proposed law that would strip state utility regulators of their power to require electric utilities to get more of their power from solar and other clean energy power sources.
But Republican lawmakers who control the Legislature are not proposing any standards of their own to replace those now being considered by the Arizona Corporation Commission. Instead, GOP lawmakers simply would bar any new renewable energy requirements.
The commission wants regulated utilities to get half their power from renewable sources by 2035 and 100% from clean energy, including nuclear, by 2050.
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