Update: New COVID-19 case brings Yavapai County total to 58

Correction: In this April 7 post The Daily Courier erroneously reported that the first confirmed COVID-19 death in Yavapai County was a male. In fact, no gender was released by Yavapai County Community Health Services and this was an error in our reporting. We apologize for this mistake.

In its Tuesday, April 7 afternoon update, Yavapai County Community Health Services (YCCHS) reported one new confirmed case of COVID-19, bringing the total to 58.

The county's first confirmed COVID-19 death was reported Monday, a senior age 65-plus from the Verde Valley who passed away on Saturday, April 4.

According to a YCCHS press release, the breakdown of the 58 cases is: 11 in Prescott, 10 in Prescott Valley, 9 in Sedona, 13 other-Quad-Cities, 8 Cottonwood, 6 other-Verde; 1 unknown. The cases include 18 seniors 65-plus, 34 adults 18 to 64; five minors (0-17); 25 males, 33 females.

HOW ARE HOSPITALS PREPARING?

On March 19, 2020, Governor Ducey put forth an Executive Order whereupon hospitals were ordered to cancel elective surgeries, YCCHS said in their afternoon update. Hospitals are now preparing for a surge of patients. Preparation includes increasing bed counts as ordered by Executive Order (2020-16 March 26), increasing the severely short supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and sustaining the health of local healthcare workforce so the county can provide the best care for the community during this pandemic.

Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) and Verde Valley Medical Center (VVMC) have submitted their Surge Capacity plans to increase their capacity by 50%.

YRMC reported 3 hospitalizations with COVID-19, with 11 persons under investigation on the West Campus, three on the East Campus. Both hospitals report meeting the 50% capacity increase mandated by Gov. Doug Ducey. VVMC reports one hospitalization from COVID-19, with six persons under investigation.

There have been 2,575 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 73 deaths reported in Arizona. To date, 33,375 Arizonans have been tested for COVID-19. There have been 1,232 residents tested in Yavapai County, with 1,175 tests being negative (95%), the report said.

HOW DO I GET INFECTED WITH COVID-19?

Viral droplets transmitted from an infected person’s cough or sneeze enter through your nose, mouth or eyes - the usual entry points for respiratory viruses. Even if they don’t cough or sneeze directly on you, you may get the virus if you touch something an infected person recently touched and then touch your face, nose, mouth or eyes. From there, it travels to the back of your nasal passages and to the mucous membranes in the back of your throat. That’s the place where symptoms - such as a sore throat and dry cough—often start. Then the virus spreads down the airway passages to the lungs. When the lungs’ membranes become inflamed, it’s harder for them to work properly. In addition to causing problems in the lungs, the virus may also cause nausea, diarrhea or indigestion if it infects cells in the gastrointestinal system.

It can take as few as two or as many as 14 days after being exposed to the COVID-19 for the first symptom to develop. The first symptom of COVID-19 is usually a fever. Then come respiratory symptoms, like a dry cough and shortness of breath, that often turn into pneumonia. The worst cases often lead to respiratory failure, which could result in death.

Learn more at www.yavapai.us/chs.

WANT TO HELP?

"A big way people can help is by donating any surgical masks, N95 respirators, gloves, gowns and other medical supplies they have," Horton said.

To donate personal protective equipment (PPE) items to the Yavapai County Emergency Operations Center, please call 928-771-3321 or email josh.goldman@yavapai.us.

NOTES

• Yavapai Emergency Operations PPE Donations – see www.yavapai.us/chs;

• YCCHS is limiting immunization appointments except for infant or respiratory vaccines, call 928-771-3122;

• Yavapai County WIC offers all services online or by phone to existing or new clients, call 928-771-3138;

• To reach the Yavapai Emergency Phone Bank, call 928-442-5103; and

• For COVID-19 information en Español click this link or visit www.yavapai.us/chs.

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