Health & Fitness

Arizona Coronavirus: First Positive Case In Pima County

State health officials announced on Monday the first positive case of the coronavirus in the Tucson area.

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TUCSON, AZ — The Arizona Department of Health Services and the Pima County Health Department announced Monday that a Pima County resident has been diagnosed with the new coronavirus.

The latest confirmed case marks the first in the Tucson area and thesixth in Arizona.

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State health officials said the infected individual in Pima County is a resident of unincorporated Pima County and recently returned from travel in an area with community spread of the virus. Additionally, the individual isn't severely ill and is currently recovering at home in isolation.

No information has been released on the name or age of the person, but health officials said the individual has "been fully cooperative with public health monitoring."

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"This does not change Pima County's approach as discussed in the press conference earlier today. We have been preparing for this for several weeks," Pima County Health Director Bob England said in a statement on the county's website. "We are not recommending closing schools or cancelling events."

Monday's announcement comes in the wake of the Arizona Department of Health Services on Saturday saying two additional presumptive positive cases of the new coronavirus had been reported in Pinal County, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state at the time to five.

Both individuals live in the same household as the first reported Pinal County patient, a woman in her 40s who is currently hospitalized, according to a news release from health officials.

Earlier this week, state health officials confirmed two coronavirus cases in Maricopa County. One, a man in his 20s, was not hospitalized and is recovering at home. The first case was an individual associated with Arizona State University who traveled to Wuhan, China, where the virus originated.

The Pima County Health Department recommends the following steps to best prevent the coronavirus:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then immediately throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

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