Ducey draws attention as Arizona becomes global ‘hotspot’ for COVID-19

PHOENIX (AP) – While Arizona has seen periodic spikes in COVID-19 cases since last spring, Gov. Doug Ducey has frequently resisted calls for strong action. He refused to institute a statewide mask mandate, allowed school districts to primarily make their own choices, and allowed businesses to stay open.

All of these Republican governor’s picks are now under intense scrutiny as Grand Canyon state becomes what health officials are calling the world’s last ‘hot spot’ due to the surge in cases.

“We have a governor and a director of health who don’t care. Their goal, in my opinion, is to vaccinate their way out, “said Will Humble, director of the Arizona Public Health Association.” Ultimately, it will work. There will just be a lot of deaths in the meantime.

CJ Karamargin, spokesman for the governor, said the current number of cases and deaths is “heartbreaking” but that it is a phenomenon that is occurring in other states even with strict stay-at-home orders. House.

“When faced with strict mitigation measures in place and states that have little or no mitigation measures in place, all are going through the same thing,” Karamargin said. “The mitigation measures that the state of Arizona put in place from the start – they stay in place. We urge every Arizonian to follow them.

At the same time, the state is working to step up vaccine distribution efforts, Karamargin added. More than 119,000 people in Arizona have received the vaccine, public health officials said Wednesday. That’s less than 2% of the state’s population. Nationally, as of Wednesday, more than three weeks after the start of the vaccination campaign in the United States, 5.3 million people had received their first dose.

Liz Curren, 34, of Phoenix, has been watching over her husband, Russell, 37, since he was infected with the virus more than a week ago. Her symptoms included severe body aches, chills, and pain in the lungs and kidneys. The couple and four other relatives reunited over Christmas but took all precautions such as wearing masks. Yet Russell Curren and three others ended up testing positive. Liz Curren has tested negative three times.

“I absolutely think there is more or there should be more work,” said Liz Curren, reflecting on the rise in cases. “Everything that is done does not work. I don’t feel that clubs, bars and gyms should be open.

Meanwhile, Arizona’s death toll from the pandemic is now close to 10,000. State health officials on Thursday reported 297 new deaths from the virus. Most of these were attributed to recent reviews of previous death certificates.

The state also has 9,913 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 584,593 so far.

Arizona has the worst coronavirus diagnosis rate in the country, with 1 in 119 people in the state testing positive last week, health officials said.

Just five months ago, President Donald Trump hailed Arizona as a model for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a stay-at-home order was gradually lifted at the start of the pandemic, the Republican governor refused to reimpose restrictions like neighboring California, which is also seeing a rise in infections and overwhelmed hospitals. In Arizona, indoor dining is allowed and gyms are open at limited capacity, businesses that have been more restricted in many other states.

Ducey rejected calls from health care executives to tighten the restrictions, arguing it would put people out of work. He also rejected a proposal that all public schools switch to virtual learning for two weeks after the holidays.

The live-and-let-live approach arguably worked for a few months as cases remained high, but more easily manageable than the summer situation. In recent days, the numbers have skyrocketed.

“It’s already much worse than in July and it will continue to get worse. We’re probably two weeks behind LA in terms of our situation, ”said Humble, referring to Los Angeles County, where a COVID-19 surge created an oxygen shortage and led ambulance crews to stop. to transport patients in whom they cannot revive the field.

Dr Joshua LaBaer, ​​director of the Biodesign Institute research center at Arizona State University, called the state “the hot spot of the world right now.” He thinks at least 1 in 10 people are infected with the virus.

“This means if you’re at the supermarket, there are people around you who have it, but they might not know it yet,” LaBaer said. “This is not a time I would recommend people spend time indoors with people who are not their immediate family.”

The state will also “undoubtedly” see more deaths than usual during the winter months, LaBaer said. Along with COVID-19-related deaths, people with other illnesses who are reluctant to go to hospital are at risk.

A record 4,920 COVID-19 patients occupied hospital beds on Wednesday, according to the state’s coronavirus dashboard.

Dr Marjorie Bessel, clinical director of Banner Health, the state’s largest hospital chain, said the out-of-control spread of the virus could be reduced if the government imposed mask requirements, banned eating indoors and canceled large gatherings. People should also wear masks and limit their contact to those with whom they live.

“We’re not doing a good job with this virus,” Bessel said of the condition. “Right now, as the pandemic rises, we need additional mitigation measures. We need the enforcement of these mitigation activities, and we need everyone to do their part. “

Dr Michael White, clinical director of Valleywise Health in Arizona, said the Phoenix-based healthcare system does not have intensive care beds. Some patients waiting for beds were treated on carts in the emergency department.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in all my years in healthcare,” White said.

More mitigation efforts in early December would likely have contributed to the surge in hospitals right now, he added.

The number of virus cases has tended to increase since bars, nightclubs and restaurants in Arizona were allowed to fully reopen in September. But the trips and the people who gathered for the holidays, starting with Thanksgiving, were “gasoline that went on the fire,” Humble said.