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COVID-19 Update from Health and Emergency Management

Posted

UPDATED  March 19, 2020 
Globe, AZ: statewide public school closures, followed by restaurants and bars ordered shut in Pheonix, Tucson and Flagstaff spotlight the serious measures being taken across Arizona to slow the spread of COVID-19,  commonly known as the Coronavirus.  Gila County's Health and Emergency Management team have tracked the disease since January, and are in direct daily contact with state and federal medical experts to keep local residents updated - and healthy. 
Here are facts, updated Thursday March 19

* Arizona has 26 confirmed COVID-19 cases across the state. Please note that Gila County has none; several patients have been tested - and each proven negative.  
* Most people who contract COVID-19  have symptoms similar to the flu: fever, shortness of breath -- and recover at home.  The Arizona Department of Health reports zero fatalities attributable to COVID-19. 

*  Statewide 331 people have been tested, 175 ruled-out, with 130 tests pending. 
*  In Arizona the level of community spread is still listed as "minimal," with a low level of community risk .  The highly populated areas of Arizona are at a heightened risk.
Read updates at official and verified sources - such as Arizona Department of Health Services website

https://www.azdhs.gov/
and Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/azdhs/

Locally, Gila County's Health and Emergency Management  team continues to vigorously monitor COVID-19; providing daily updates to community leaders and healthcare partners -- accurate information to share with local residents. 
“We constantly prepare and plan to deal with air-borne disease in general, which  prepares us well to respond to COVID-19 cases too,” said Joshua Beck, Manager of Gila County’s COVID-19 response team. “Gila County has focused much attention on pandemic planning and preparedness over the past five years; this means that response agencies across Gila County are skilled in coordinating efforts to protect our communities from the threat of diseases like COVID-19. The only way we get through any infectious disease is by working together - keep family members home when they are sick, stay home from work when we are sick, cover our coughs and keep our hands washed. Sounds simple enough, but as a community, these small actions can make all the difference. While we have not had any cases of COVID-19 in Gila County; however, counts continue to rise in other parts of Arizona and we expect to see additional cases - quite possibly here in Gila County.” 
Again:  get your information from verified, official and trusted sources. Gila County's Health and Emergency Management posts frequent updates at 
https://www.facebook.com/gilacohealthem/