The Arizona Department of Health Services recorded another 1,996 new cases of COVID-19 Nov. 6, after a week of rising infections. The state has now confirmed nearly 255,000 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. The state also reported 22 additional COVID-related deaths, meaning so far 6,109 Arizonans have died from the virus.
Maricopa County is now seeing “substantial transmission” again. And even if more counties join Maricopa, state health director Dr. Cara Christ said business closures will only be a last resort. But it remains an option.
“Well, it could if — it really is going to depend. Because the benchmarks are impacted, like, Maricopa County — because the population’s so big, you know, they’re going to have different strategies than if there’s a rural county that knows that they have an outbreak that they are working on, that’s driving their rates and percent positivity up but doesn’t impact parts of their community," Christ said.
County health officials are also keeping a close eye on the numbers; that includes Marcy Flanagan, executive director of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
She says the numbers we see after Thanksgiving and Christmas will be a really good indicator of what’s to come in Arizona. The Show spoke with her for more about the COVID-19 transmission rates around the state.
