Arizona now has 13 coronavirus cases, with 3 in Pima County

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona has another case of the coronavirus, raising the state’s total to 13, authorities said Sunday.

The Pima County Health Department announced its third presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Pima County.

They said the person is an older adult currently recovering in a Tucson-area hospital.

Health department officials said it was the first positive test result in Pima County as a result of commercial testing performed at a private laboratory.

Arizona announced three new cases of the coronavirus Saturday including the first in rural Graham County where a town’s school district had already shut down before test results were available on a school employee who now has tested positive.

Graham County health officials asked the Pima district’s fifth- and sixth-graders to remain at home until March 25 and to stay away from others.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

Though state officials have said there was no need to shut down schools statewide, multiple districts in metro Phoenix have announced closures, including some that take effect Monday when those districts’ schools would have reopened after spring break.

In a statement Sunday, the Arizona Education Association said it would like to see students stay home from school “until education leaders and state policymakers can present a detailed plan of support that assures students will be returning to safe classrooms and healthy school sites.”

The AEA also wants Gov. Doug Ducey “to exercise all the powers of his office including convening the legislature in Special Session to swiftly and directly address this unanticipated crisis.”

State Senate President Karen Fann responded to the AEA’s statement with a tweet saying it was “pure politics.”

Ducey on Wednesday declared a public health emergency because of the risk of increased transmission of coronavirus in the state. He stopped short of ordering large events to be cancelled as some other governors have done.

Although there are no confirmed coronavirus cases in Maricopa County’s jail system, Sheriff Paul Penzone said Sunday that access to jail facilities for volunteer or supplemental services now is suspended.

The only access into jails will be for court ordered interactions or legal obligations.

Penzone said the move was made “as a precautionary measure to protect our officers, staff and the incarcerated population.”

Meanwhile, the Pinal County Fair scheduled for this week has been canceled due to precautions about the coronavirus pandemic. It was scheduled to run from next Wednesday through Sunday.