After nearly a year since the first COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Sonora, Arizona’s neighbor to the south, the state just had its worst month yet.
In January, more than 11,421 new cases and 1,117 new deaths were officially confirmed, overtaking July as the grimmest month by both measures to date, according to state health data logged daily by University of Sonora data science master’s student Luis Armando Moreno.
“January was black, hard and heartrending for many families,” said Sonoran Health Secretary Enrique Clausen.
The surge in cases and deaths came in the wake of the holidays, when many gathered with friends and families despite calls from authorities not to do so.
Six Sonoran municipalities are now at maximum risk for coronavirus spread, including the capital Hermosillo, the border city Nogales and Guaymas, home to the popular beach resort of San Carlos, according to state health authorities.
Well over 5,000 Sonorans have officially died of Covid-19 so far, though the actual figure is likely substantially higher. As of mid-December, well over 9,000 deaths beyond what was expected in 2020 had been logged, according to most recent federal data on excess mortality.
