Some people have asked why Public Health doesn’t provide specific locations where COVID-19 cases have been discovered.  Here's why.  People who test positive have often been in multiple locations in our community.  Outside of congregate care settings such as nursing homes or jails, determining the exact location or event where people contracted the virus is often not possible. 

Dr. Sunenshine explained during Wednesday’s press conference that focusing on the where is not a productive way to protect people.  If you are not able to reach a case until 5-10 days after testing, looking backward at locations doesn’t slow the ongoing spread between people.  Locations are most important when they are congregate settings. 

Watch explanation from Dr. Sunenshine (VIDEO) >

During a recent visit to Arizona, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, said Maricopa County’s approach to contacting those who may have been exposed to COVID-19 (known as contact tracing) could serve as a model for other states.

If you suspect you may have COVID-19, take a look at the symptom checker from the CDC and then determine your risk level. Contact your healthcare provider for testing, or see a list of testing sites here.

While most people who get COVID-19 recover at home with plenty of rest and fluids, here’s when you should seek medical attention.

*People of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 and should be especially vigilant.

Maricopa County wants to clear up misinformation spreading on traditional and social media regarding morgue space.

Maricopa County only handles cases that are under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Medical Examiner (OME).  Those are sudden, unexpected or traumatic deaths.  The Office of the Medical Examiner has a normal capacity of 150 decedents.  It is currently at about 96% of that capacity.  OME has the ability to expand capacity to more than 200 cases and will do so as needed.  As a precautionary measure, Maricopa County Unified Command has put plans and contracts into place to be able to quickly lease additional cooling space if necessary. 

COVID-19 deaths add to the typical number of deaths that occur over the summer months. These additional deaths have the potential to exacerbate any storage shortages that may occur. This is what the Unified Command is preparing for, should it become an issue.

There’s an extreme heat warning in effect this weekend for Maricopa County. 

Please take basic safety precautions this weekend:

• Drink plenty of water, even when you are not thirsty
• Never leave children, pets, or older adults in a car
• If you’re going outside, avoid being outdoors during the hottest parts of the day and take frequent breaks in the shade or in air conditioning
• Cover your head and babies’ heads; apply sunblock every 2 hours

You can find more information on how to protect yourself from heat-related illnesses at heataz.org. 

To protect people experiencing homelessness, Maricopa County has opened up a recently vacated building in downtown Phoenix for nighttime heat relief.  That location will be open through September 30^th.

With in-person schooling delayed, the Maricopa County Library District has extended its Summer Reading Program through August 15^th in order to encourage young people to stay engaged and reading while out of school.  Maricopa County Reads hopes to be a resource for families to keep kids engaged.

Find out more >

Maricopa County is now accepting applications for our Small Business Relief Program, which provides up to $10,000 in grants to reimburse businesses and non-profits for lost revenues during March and April. Grants will be given on a first come, first served basis until the money runs out. The program is funded through CARES Act funds.

More information: www.azfoundation.org/MaricopaRelief

En Español: www.azfoundation.org/MaricopaReliefESP