PHOENIX 鈥 Even as 蜜柚直播 approaches 1,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19, Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday insisted he had not made a mistake in ending his stay-at-home order last month allowing more businesses to reopen.
The governor acknowledged the number of cases of people contracting the virus has increased in the weeks following his decisions. But he said that was to be expected as more people get tested.
But even Cara Christ, the state health director, conceded she could not say how much of the increase is due to testing and how much is due to 鈥渃ommunity spread,鈥 essentially people infecting one another as they interact more.
And even Ducey conceded the point.
鈥淭he virus is not going away,鈥 he said.
But even if the jump in diagnosed cases 鈥 there were a total of 22,753 as of Thursday 鈥 can be attributed to more people getting tested, that still leaves the fact that as of Thursday morning 996 people had died from the disease, up 15 from the day before.
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鈥淲e mourn every death in the state of 蜜柚直播,鈥 the governor responded.
The bottom line, Ducey said, is that all the measures he had previously taken were designed to avoid a crisis of the state running out of hospital beds.
鈥淎nd we are prepared in 蜜柚直播,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e are not in a crisis situation.鈥
Anyway, the governor said, is that if the regular hospitals ran out of space 鈥渨e have available field hospital capacity.鈥
In defending his decisions, the governor produced a chart showing a decline in the percentage of tests that showed that people actually had the coronavirus.
But the last date for those numbers was for the week ending Sunday.
Separate figures released by the Biodesign Institute at 蜜柚直播 State University found that 6.5% of the tests came back positive Monday, increasing to 11.5% and Tuesday and a record 14.7% on Wednesday.
鈥淭hat was expected,鈥 said Christ. 鈥淎s you know, when you test more, you are going to find more.鈥
But that鈥檚 not the entire picture.
鈥淲e also phased in reopening,鈥 she said.
鈥淎nd as we know, the COVID-19 is still in the community,鈥 Christ continued. 鈥淎s people come back together, we know that there is going to be transmission of COVID-19.鈥
Asked if the 1,000 deaths alarm him, the governor said all of his decisions have been based on his desire to reduce the spread of the virus 鈥渁nd to save and protect as many lives as possible.鈥
鈥淎nd I鈥檓 confident that we鈥檝e made the best and most responsible decisions possible, guided by public health the entire way,鈥 Ducey said.
That comes back to his belief that the purpose of restrictions is to ensure there are sufficient hospital beds.
鈥淲e continue to work to make sure that we can care and comfort and help anyone that is severely ill recover,鈥 the governor said. 鈥淲e have the capacity to do that.鈥
Ducey acknowledged that, even in the face of increased infections and deaths 鈥 and even as he said the virus is not going to go away 鈥 he has expanded even further the places where it can spread, including health clubs and swimming pools. The key, he explained, is who is likely to get ill.
鈥淲e are focused on the population that is most vulnerable,鈥 Ducey said.
鈥淭hese are folks of a certain age category with underlying chronic health conditions that are at high risk, have tuberculosis, infectious respiratory disease, diabetes or obesity,鈥 he explained. 鈥淔or the rest of our population, we鈥檝e been pretty vocal about who is in harm鈥檚 way and who can participate in the opening of our economy. We鈥檒l continue to do that.鈥
There are other indications that the virus is not going away and that infections are increasing.
On Wednesday, the number of people hospitalized with the virus was 1,079.
Other statistics show that overall, 8,820 hospital beds are occupied in 蜜柚直播, amounting to 87% of total capacity. And there were 1,907 intensive-care beds in use, which is 84% of capacity.
Separate data show 蜜柚直播 with an infection rate of 306 per 100,000 residents. That is in line with New Mexico but higher than California and Nevada.
Christ said that the state continues to promote 鈥済uidance鈥 to keep groups of people to 10 or fewer. Still, she said, that鈥檚 not a hard and fast rule, with a lot depending on the circumstances.
鈥淧eople do have a constitutional right to have a peaceful dialogue,鈥 Christ said, even as she encouraged those who are 鈥渁t risk鈥 to not attend large gatherings. And she said that anyone who has been to one of these who believes they have been exposed can seek out testing for the virus.
On the subject of large gatherings, Ducey acknowledged that the Republican National Committee is weighing whether to hold its national convention this summer in 蜜柚直播. That follows the decision by President Trump to yank the August meeting from North Carolina after the governor and health officials insisted that they follow health protocols and possibly scale back the size of the event.
鈥淭he president is always welcome in 蜜柚直播,鈥 Ducey said, without addressing the potential health concerns of having thousands of people from out of state gather in a single hall.
Photos for May 29: 蜜柚直播 gets by during Coronavirus Pandemic
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
The iconic Casa Molina bull and matador statue both sport masks on the first full week of the loosening of COVID19 restrictions, May 23, 2020, 蜜柚直播, Ariz. The bull previously had a mask on the testicles.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Michelle Leon Cordova, right, mother, and her son Sahuarita High School senior Lino Cordova, whom is fighting cancer, wave at staff members from Diamonds Children Center, friends and the Marana Police Department during a car parade, celebrating Lino's graduation, outside of his home on May 13, 2020 in Sahuarita, Ariz. Cordova stood on the sidewalk while the team from Diamond Children Center, friends and the Marana police department gave Cordova a graduation gar parade. Cordova was given a gift basket with his favorite snacks, gift cards as well as other items he enjoys. The car parade, also, celebrated another graduating senior fighting cancer from Empire High School, Noah Nieto. Nieto, also, received a gift basket with snacks, gift cards and other items Lino enjoys.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Michelle Leon Cordova, right, mother, brings celebration balloons to a car after staff members from Diamonds Children Center, friends and the Marana Police Department celebrate Sahuarita High School senior Lino Cordova, whom is fighting cancer, graduation with a car parade outside of his home on May 13, 2020 in Sahuarita, Ariz. Cordova stood on the sidewalk while the team from Diamond Children Center, friends and the Marana police department gave Cordova a graduation gar parade. Cordova was given a gift basket with his favorite snacks, gift cards as well as other items he enjoys. The car parade, also, celebrated another graduating senior fighting cancer from Empire High School, Noah Nieto. Nieto, also, received a gift basket with snacks, gift cards and other items Lino enjoys.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Personnel from 蜜柚直播 Medical Center line the heliport to watch A-10's from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base's 355th Wing and F-16's from the 蜜柚直播 Air National Guard's 162nd Wing make a pass over the facility, one leg of an area wide community flyover, May 14, 2020, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Nancy Celix-Campos, right, a respitory therapist at 蜜柚直播 Medical Center, watches the military flyover with her daughters, Giana, 12, and Jazmyn, 8, from Sentinel Peak on May 14, 2020. Two F-16 Fighting Falcons from 蜜柚直播 Air National Guard脮s 162nd Wing and two A-10 Thunderbolt II's from the 355th Wing, assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, fly over 蜜柚直播 area hospitals to honor healthcare personnel and first responders as they are some of the frontline workers dealing with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) head on. "It's been an exhausting two to three months," says Campos, "it's pretty cool, I like how they're going by each hospital."
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Two F-16 Fighting Falcons from 蜜柚直播 Air National Guard鈥檚 162nd Wing and two A-10 Thunderbolt II's from the 355th Wing, assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, fly over Northwest Medical Center north of 蜜柚直播 on May 14, 2020.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
A letter carrier portrait on the Ok Market building, located in the Armory Park neighborhood, is adorned with a face mask on May 18, 2020.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Rosemary Garcia waits for a family member outside of a store at Park Place Mall, 5870 E. Broadway Blvd., in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on May 19, 2020. Malls reopened today under CDC guidelines and Gov. Ducey's new rules for businesses due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Park Place Mall has signs throughout the mall reminding customers to keep a six feet distance as well as hand sanitizer stations near each entrance. About half of the tables in the food court have been removed to allow for social distances as well as less than half of the stores have opened with new guidelines. Of the stores open, only 10 customers are allowed to shop in each store at a time.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Pat Schlote steams clothing before it is put on the sales floor at the Golden Goose Thrift Shop in Catalina, Ariz., on May 21, 2020.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Ada Contreras, teaching assistant, looks through containers while reorganizing toys at Herencia Guadalupana Lab School, 6740 S. in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on May 21, 2020. As Child care centers begin to re-open when they are ready, Herencia Guadalupana Lab School is reorganizing and cleaning everything in the facility before re-opening on June 2. To allow for social distancing and decrease the amount of items children touch, Herencia Guadalupana Lab School has sheds where items will go as well as placing items in containers organized by category.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Jen Martinez, right, softball coach, teaches Skylar Reilly about hitting during a session at Centerfield Baseball Academy, 5120 S. Julian Dr., in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on May 21, 2020. After re-opening on Monday, Centerfield Baseball Academy has implemented new policies in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic such as wearing masks, cleaning, signage, hand sanitizer and limiting the amount of people inside the facility.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Karl Bosma, left, and George Cantua, with facilities and maintenance, lay down stickers to mark six-foot separation distance around one of the baggage carousels, part of the efforts at 蜜柚直播 International Airport to work within the restrictions of COVID19, May 22, 2020, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
A lone passenger waits for a flight near one of the shuttered restaurants in the B Gates before Memorial Day at 蜜柚直播 International Airport on May 22, 2020.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Drew Cooper on the stage in the St. Philip's Plaza courtyard, May 22, 2020, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., where live music is back on the schedule.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Many people visit Tumamoc Hill during the first day of Tumamoc's re-opening in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on May 25, 2020. After being closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Tumamoc Hill re-opened with some modifications. There are hand sanitizer stations throughout the hike to the top as well as arrows, spaced 10-ft apart, lined up and down the hill. Some runners, hikers and walkers are also wearing masks during their hike. "The steps we are taking aim to provide our community with needed exercise, connection to our beautiful desert and a sense of comfort in such a trying time, while balancing the fact that gathering as a community endangers each of us and our loved ones. This is an unprecedented challenge that we are taking extremely seriously," said Benjamin T. Wilder, director of Tumamoc Hill. Visitors are also asked to limit their group to three people and to not touch the gate at the top of the hill- a tradition for some who make it to the top. "This is a time when we need to establish new traditions and adapt in a creative manner that embraces empathy, unity, care and patience," Wilder said.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Pen Macias, artist, works on part 2 of a mural for a client on E. Broadway Rd., between S. Columbus Blvd. and S. Alvernon Way, in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on May 25, 2020. Macias, known as The Desert Pen, has been working on her clients mural for the past three months. "It's the one thing I love, I have a passion for and the only thing I could be happy doing," said Macias. The mural represents her client, a single mother of four who works in the health care field. One half of the mural is dedicated to the connection between mothers and their children. The other half is dedicated to the connection between nurses and patients. The client wanted some positivity in the mural to show how nurses give a piece of themselves to their patients hence the puzzle pieces in the nurse and the patients, said Macias.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Christina Cortinas, posing at her home, May 28, 2020, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., with a photo of her and her mother, Catherine Rodriguez, in San Diego, 1991. Rodriguez is currently in assisted living and fighting COVID19. Cortinas hasn't seen her mother in months, the longest such span in her life.
蜜柚直播 gets by during coronavirus pandemic
Ruben Lopez looks through handouts while attending a Eviction Resource Fair with his family outside the Pima County Justice Court.
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