ARIZONA NEWS

10 Arizona counties, including Maricopa, have high COVID-19 community levels

Jul 16, 2022, 5:45 AM

(File Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)...

(File Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

(File Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

PHOENIX — Ten of Arizona’s 15 counties now have high COVID-19 community levels, the state’s health department said Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest update lists the following counties as having high COVID-19 community levels: Maricopa, Apache, Coconino, Gila, La Paz, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal, Yavapai and Yuma.

Maricopa, Mohave, Coconino, Gila, Pima and Cochise counties moved from medium to high in the past month, while Apache and Navajo counties already had high COVID-19 community levels.

Health officials recommend masks for public indoor settings where community levels of the virus are high, which is determined by COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the past week and the disease’s impact on the health care system.

Don Herrington, interim director with the Arizona Department of Health Services, said in a press release that the omicron subvariant BA.5 of the virus “accounts for a rapidly growing share of sequenced COVID-19 cases in Arizona.”

“Evidence suggests this subvariant is better at eluding immune protection offered by vaccination or previous infection,” Herrington said in the release. “In addition, immunity may begin to wane over the months after the last infection or vaccination.”

Herrington recommends people keep their vaccine protection up to date as data in May suggested unvaccinated individuals were eight times more likely to be hospitalized and 21 times more likely to die from the virus than those who received both shots and a booster.

People can find vaccine providers on the department of health’s website.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

woman cutting a sandwich in the back of house...

KTAR.com

Eligible Mesa small business owners can register for low-cost college courses

A new program in Mesa is expanding ways that small business owners can earn college credits. 

5 hours ago

(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)...

Associated Press

Judge denies Phoenix request to extend clean up time at The Zone

A judge on Tuesday denied the city of Phoenix’s legal request seeking extra time to clean up the city’s largest homeless encampment.

9 hours ago

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is surrounded by staff, security and journalists as he walks to the Ho...

Brandon Gray

Kevin McCarthy out as speaker of the House: How Arizona representatives voted

In a 216-210 vote, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted off his post, making him the first in history to be removed from the role.

9 hours ago

(ADOT Photo)...

KTAR.com

ADOT uses updated technology to improve operation of freeway ramp meters

Updated technology has allowed the Arizona Department of Transportation to optimize the operation of its freeway ramp meters.

10 hours ago

Mug shots of Frank Avila, left, and Albert Valenzuela. The men were arrested after a Phoenix bus ro...

KTAR.com

1 man dead, 2 arrested after Phoenix bus robbery leads to hit-and-run collision

A man faces possible murder charges after a victim he allegedly tried to rob on a Phoenix bus was hit and killed by a vehicle while fleeing.

11 hours ago

...

KTAR Video

Video: What would it mean if the city of Phoenix entered into a “consent decree?”

Maricopa County Sherriff Paul Penzone announced Monday that he would not run for re-election and after bringing in a police chief following a national search, Mike Broomhead ponders what message the city of Phoenix would send by entering into a consent decree. Video: Jeremy Schnell and Felisa Cárdenas/KTAR News

14 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

SCHWARTZ LASER EYE CENTER

Key dates for Arizona sports fans to look forward to this fall

Fall brings new beginnings in different ways for Arizona’s professional sports teams like the Cardinals and Coyotes.

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Importance of AC maintenance after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

An air conditioning unit in Phoenix is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat.

...

re:vitalize

When most diets fail, re:vitalize makes a difference that shows

Staying healthy and losing weight are things many people in Arizona are conscious of, especially during the summer.

10 Arizona counties, including Maricopa, have high COVID-19 community levels