COVID-19 Update: Yavapai County has 794 coronavirus cases, 9 deaths

Yavapai County’s record of COVID-19 positive cases jumped by 23 with the Community Health Services report Tuesday morning, June 30, for a total of 794. That followed 157 over the weekend, as well as two additional deaths — for nine total.

The local death total was at seven since June 11.

Across the state, 79,215 people have or have had the coronavirus, an increase of 4,682 — a new single-day record — and 1,632 deaths.

The Arizona Department of Health Services reports that 701,834 Arizonans have been tested for COVID-19; locally 19,126 residents have been tested, with a 95.8% negative rate and 331 recovered.

The novel coronavirus is spreading too fast and across too many places in the United States to bring it under control, a top expert said Monday as some states set records for new cases every day.

“We have way too much virus across the country for that right now, so it’s very discouraging,” Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told The Journal of the American Medical Association. Schuchat called the surge in new cases just “the beginning,” and said new cases are not being rapidly identified and isolated with proper contact tracing.

Yavapai County Community Health Services has called upon the Medical Reserve Corps certified contact tracers to assist in the large number of cases Yavapai County is seeing, said Terri Farneti, with YCCHS.

On Monday, the governor signed an Executive Order to prohibit large gatherings, cease the issuance of new special event licenses and pause the operations of bars, gyms, movie theaters, waterparks and tubing rentals.

The pause of these business operations takes effect at 8 p.m. June 29 and is in effect for one month. He also signed an Executive Order to delay the first day of school for in-person learning until Aug. 17. Schools will be able to conduct distance learning should they choose before then.

You can help slow the spread of COVID-19 by maintaining physical distancing, covering your cough and sneeze, thoroughly washing your hands, wearing a mask when out in public, and by staying home if you’re sick.

INFORMATION

• For Yavapai County data and COVID-19 Resources: www.yavapai.us/chs

• Yavapai Emergency Phone Bank: 928-442-5103 — open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Arizona 2-1-1: A resource for all the time, not just during COVID-19: https://211arizona.org/

• #Yavapai Stronger Together - https://justicementalhealth.com/resources-support/#covid19.