Four rural counties reopen for in-person school

Health officials says counties have cleared necessary benchmarks

PHOENIX, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Arizona state health officials say coronavirus conditions have improved to point where it's safe for four rural counties to reopen schools.

Apache, Cochise, Coconino, and Yavapai recently got the green light from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to offer partial in-person learning. Those counties include the cities of Flagstaff, Prescott, and Sierra Vista.

The remaining 11 counties, including Yuma, haven't cleared benchmarks based on case numbers, positivity rates, and hospital visits.

The state's coronavirus outbreak has diminished greatly since the beginning of August. That after spending June and July as a national hotspot.