Daily COVID-19 Update: July 17

Maricopa County, Arizona sent this bulletin at 07/17/2020 03:45 PM MST

LATEST INFORMATION

91,254 Total
COVID-19 Cases Since January

4% Hospitalized
1% ICU Admissions
View County Data

Mask Mandate in Effect for Maricopa County

Masks required in enclosed public spaces.
Read the Regulations

County Services Impacted by Pandemic

Get updated information on services impacted.
View Updates

TODAY'S KEY MESSAGE

No One is Invincible

Dr. Sunenshine Quote Younger People Can Get COVID

Guidance from Maricopa County Public Health

Young Adults Need to Take Precautions

More than half (52%) of the county’s COVID-19 cases are in the 20-44 age group. People in this group are not only at risk of getting really sick themselves, they are also at risk of spreading the disease to a loved one, a co-worker, a neighbor, or an acquaintance who is at higher risk for severe illness. That’s why it's so important for everyone to wear masks, keep six feet of distance in public places, and stay home when possible.

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself & Others from COVID-19

Need a Test?

Arizona Department of Health Services is offering additional diagnostic testing in South Phoenix and Maryvale. Pre-registration is required. Learn more at the ADHS website.

You may also contact your healthcare provider for testing, or see a full list of testing sites here.

Need a Mask?

Arizona Department of Health Services is now offering free, reusable cloth face masks for people 65 years and older, as well as other identified vulnerable populations.

See details >

Weekend Travel

The best way to avoid getting or spreading COVID-19 is to stay home and away from others. We realize this isn’t always possible. If you’re planning to get out of town this weekend, make sure you travel responsibly: wearing masks, washing hands, and knowing the local rules.

Preparing for the Next School Year

Governor Ducey said additional plans and guidance for the upcoming school year will be provided next week. In the meantime, parents can take steps to prepare kids for a different kind of school year. That includes getting them used to wearing masks. The American Academy of Pediatrics has advice that can help address common concerns and questions.

Read guidance >

Helping Schools Stock Up

This week, Maricopa County Unified Command began distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to local school districts. Public Health volunteers offered curbside delivery for more than a dozen districts on Thursday.

Update on Cold Storage

Maricopa County Unified Command continues to prepare for worst-case scenarios related to COVID-19. As part of that preparation, the County is adding cold storage capacity in the event of an increase of deaths beyond current capacity at the Office of the Medical Examiner (OME). We will have eight coolers by next week and six more in reserve if we need them.

The Medical Examiner is a pass through on the way to funeral homes. We want to be prepared in case we have to keep decedents for a longer period of time. The County normally only stores bodies under OME’s jurisdiction, which are sudden, unexpected, or violent deaths. Very few of these (approximately 100 to date) are COVID-19 positive cases.

This Week's Unified Command Updates

Maricopa County Unified Command holds regular news conferences to update members of the media and the public on the County’s response to the pandemic. These are broadcast live to Facebook and YouTube and shared in our daily email updates. On Wednesday, we focused on rental assistance and small business assistance programs administered by the County. On Thursday, we addressed proactive plans to handle additional deaths related to COVID-19.

Watch Wednesday’s press conference >
Watch Thursday’s press conference >

RECENT NEWS RELEASES

County Program Could Help As Many As 6,000 Households with Rent

Maricopa County Secures Additional Nighttime Heat Relief Location for Homeless

Maricopa County Small Business Grant Program Begins

2020 CENSUS

Make your voice count and help your community return stronger. Participate in the 2020 Census so Arizona receives its fair share of federal funding for infrastructure, emergency response, and community services.

SHAREABLE RESOURCES

PAST UPDATES

TRUSTED SOURCES

Globally: World Health Organization

Nationally: CDC

State: ADHS

Locally: Maricopa County Public Health

QUESTIONS

All information requests related to Maricopa County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic should be directed to the Joint Information Center using the email address caomedia@maricopa.gov.

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