Arizona COVID-19 cumulative counts, Dec. 14
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Select regional and national coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic as of Tuesday, April 28. For more coverage, visit our resource page. This story may be updated.
With fewer cars on the streets, Tucson's air quality is improving
AZPM, April 28
With so many people working from home due to COVID-19, Tucson streets are enjoying a lot less traffic. That’s had a positive impact on our air quality, according to Ursula Kramer Nelson, director for Pima County’s Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).
“As we look at the data that we’ve gathered over the last several weeks, we do see what looks like a decrease in some of our air quality pollutants — so that’s a good thing — and it’s likely that at least part of that is due to people driving less.”
The ADEQ tracks a number of pollutants found in Tucson air, including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone and particulate matter. Readings over the last month and a half are the lowest they’ve been for about a decade. That’s not all due to the coronavirus pandemic — air pollution has been dropping for years thanks to improved emission standards. But the pandemic appears to be an added factor.
Poison center calls rise in first quarter of year
AZPM, April 28
During the first three months of 2020, the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center saw a 20% jump in calls. The number mirrors what other poison control centers across the U.S. saw during the same time period.
The No. 1 type of call to the Arizona center was accidental ingestion of household cleaners. Steven Dudley, director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, says part of the reason for the increase in calls is that — due to the stay-at-home order — more people are around the house than usual, which leads to more potential exposures to household chemicals.
Dudley said the center has not received any calls after someone has ingested a household cleaner in hopes of curing COVID-19. He also warned against doing that.
PCC chancellor 'cautiously optimistic' about school's future
AZPM reporter Vanessa Barchfield spoke with Pima Community College Chancellor Lee Lambert about how the college is faring and what the pandemic could mean for its future.
First-time unemployment claims decrease in Arizona
AZPM, April 28
The economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continues to reduce Arizona’s labor force.
The latest numbers from the Arizona Department of Economic Security showed 52,350 people filed first-time unemployment claims in Arizona the week ending April 25. That is a 20,000-person decrease over the week before.
The the total number of people claiming unemployment benefits, however, rose to 250,507, a 47% increase over the week before.
Tribes urge Treasury to disburse coronavirus relief funding
AP, April 28
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Tribal nations are urging the federal government to quickly disburse coronavirus relief funding after a judge handed them an early victory in a legal battle involving the money.
At least 18 tribes sued the federal government seeking to keep any portion of the $8 billion in funding allocated to tribes out of the hands of Alaska Native corporations. a judge in Washington issued a ruling late Monday to temporarily halt any payments to the corporations while he settles the larger question of eligibility.
The decision clears the U.S. Treasury Department to begin distributing money to 574 federally recognized tribes. An attorney for the agency declined comment.
Gov't OKs $50B in small biz loans, banks complain of snags
AP, April 28
NEW YORK (AP) — The government says it has approved an additional $50 billion in loans to small businesses, although banks are complaining that a bottleneck at the Small Business Administration is severely slowing the process.
Banking industry groups say the SBA’s loan processing system is still unable to handle the volume of loan applications from business owners trying to get aid under the Paychceck Protection Program, part of the government’s $2 trillion coronavirus aid program. The SBA has said the slowdown is due to its attempts to limit the amount of loans any bank can submit at one time. But some banks say they’re not able to get any applications into the system.
1st death from the coronavirus surfaces in Arizona prisons
AP, April 27
PHOENIX (AP) — The first fatality from the coronavirus in Arizona prisons came two weeks ago when a 64-year-old inmate with diabetes died at a hospital in Tucson.
Pima County Medical Examiner Gregory Hess said Joseph Assyd died as a result of COVID-19 after suffering a respiratory infection. Over the last week, corrections officials have declined to say whether any prisoners had died from the virus. Assyd was serving a life sentence for convictions in 1995 for murder and kidnapping. Forty-four of the nearly 42,000 Arizona prisoners have tested positive for the virus.
Arizona has 1 day with no reported coronavirus deaths
AP, April 27
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Contractors overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are completing work on a closed Phoenix hospital planned to house coronavirus patients.
The move comes even as there are signs a spike of cases may not emerge in Arizona and Gov. Doug Ducey nears a decision on whether to ease his closure and stay at home orders. The $4.1 million rehabilitation of St. Luke’s Medical Center should be done by the end of the week.
Health Services officials on Monday reported no new virus deaths for the first time in a month, holding steady at 275. Confirmed cases statewide climbed to 6,716 after 190 new cases were added.
Genomics center seeks volunteers for COVID-19 antibody study
KJZZ, April 27
A vital, open question about COVID-19 is whether people who've recovered from the virus retain immunity and, if so, for how long.
Now, researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute hope to help answer these questions with their new COVID Immunity Study.
Researchers will compare antibodies in volunteers' blood samples taken one week apart to better understand beneficial and harmful immune responses, said John Altin of TGen North, who leads the study.
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