Update: 19 Yavapai County residents confirmed with COVID-19; every AZ county now showing cases

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the virus that causes COVID-19. (NIAID-RML via AP)

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the virus that causes COVID-19. (NIAID-RML via AP)

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Yavapai County has increased to 19, according to Yavapai County Community Health Services Monday afternoon, March 30.

The novel coronavirus has now struck every county in Arizona, with Greenlee County adding its first case over the weekend.

“All Arizonans should assume the virus is present in their community and take precautions,” the release states.

BY THE NUMBERS

There were 1,161 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Arizona as of Monday afternoon. Maricopa had 690 cases, Pima 187, Pinal 64, Coconino 71, Navajo 88, Apache 17, Yavapai 19, Graham 2, Yuma 6, Mohave 7, La Paz 2, Santa Cruz 2, Cochise 4, Gila 1, and Greenlee 1. There have been 20 deaths reported in Arizona.

Of the 19 confirmed cases in Yavapai County, 12 are in the quad-city area and seven are in the Verde Valley.

One of these cases is still under investigation, but as for the other 18, eight are senior citizens (65 years old and older) and 10 are adults (18 to 54 years old). Eleven of that 18 are men and seven are women.

TESTING

Over the weekend, the Arizona Governor’s issued an executive order for all private labs to report all testing completed, positive or negative.

The order prompted the Arizona Department of Health Services to add a “COVID-19 Testing Arizona” tab. This indicates more accurately the amount of testing being done in the state.

The site shows there have been 16,759 tests completed in Arizona, 456 of which are residents in Yavapai County.

Initially, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was only recommending testing for people with exposure to an infected person. However, all that changed once community spread was confirmed in the United States.

In response, the CDC changed its recommendations to allow anyone with COVID-19-like symptoms to be tested as long as a doctor approved the request.

WHAT TO DO

If you think you have been exposed to someone with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, follow the steps below to monitor your health and avoid spreading the disease to others if you get sick.

Exposure to the virus is considered the following:

• Living in the same household as a sick person with COVID-19;

• Caring for a sick person with COVID-19;

• Being within 6 feet of a sick person with COVID-19 for about 10 minutes;

• Being in direct contact with secretions from a sick person with COVID-19 (e.g. being coughed on, kissing, sharing utensils, etc.).

If you were exposed but are not showing symptoms, you should monitor your health for fever, cough and shortness of breath during the 14 days after the last day you were in close contact with the sick person with COVID-19, according to the release. You should not go to work or school and should avoid public places for 14 days.

Not everyone who is exposed to the virus will catch it, and some people who are infected will have only minor or no symptoms, the release states. On average, symptoms like fever, cough, or shortness of breath tend to develop five-to-six days after exposure.

However, the CDC says it can take as long as 14 days for symptoms to emerge. If, after that period of time, you have not developed any of the typical COVID-19 symptoms, you are likely in the clear, the release states.

CONTACT

The Yavapai Emergency Phone Bank is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and can be reached by calling 928-442-5103.

The COVID-19 hotline can be reached by dialing 2-1-1 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

For COVID-19 information en español, see www.azdhs.gov/COVID-19

For up-to-date information, visit our website: www.yavapai.us/chs.


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