Coronavirus could soon become leading cause of death in Arizona, researcher warns

Could the new coronavirus become the leading cause of death in Arizona?

During an update on the coronavirus pandemic, members of Arizona State University’s COVID-19 modeling team warned it was likely.

In an average year, about 12,000 Arizona residents die of heart disease and another 12,000 die of cancer, said Dr Josh LaBaer, ​​executive director of the Biodesign Institute at ASU , according to the local AZFamily news station. But coronavirus-related deaths in the state have exceeded 10,855, according to current estimates. Thus, COVID-19 could soon become the leading cause of death, he said.

“We are seeing an extraordinary number of new cases per day and it’s a pretty scary position,” LaBaer said.

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To significantly slow the spread of the new virus in the state, and ultimately see a reduction in coronavirus deaths, LaBaer said at least 50% of residents will need to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

But rollout of the vaccine in the state has been slow – much like across the country.

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“I’m a little worried that everyone is going to be seduced by the fact that there are vaccines starting to be launched. But keep in mind that the number of people getting vaccinated right now is small. It would take to have an impact on the spread of the virus in our community right now, ”LaBaer said, noting that about 80% of Arizonans will need to receive the vaccine in order to prevent a future coronavirus outbreak.