Some hospitals in Arizona are initiating a plan to prepare for a possible increase in patients, as coronavirus tests reveal more positive cases across the state, according to a report.
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported nearly 3,600 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, according to The Associated Press. There have been 1,579 known deaths, 44 of which were reported on Saturday.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey lifted orders to stay home in May, claiming that health officials had been following federal guidelines regarding the virus.
“We follow all CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines for trying to make the best possible decisions for Arizona residents, “he said, according to Fox 10 Phoenix.” We have an advantage over other states that had outbreaks from the beginning. We have more time to prepare.
PHOENIX REQUIRES MASKS IN PUBLIC As COROANVIRUS cases increase
Arizona reportedly was slow to begin testing and now has a backlog of people waiting in line for hours to determine if they are infected.
Despite lifting state restrictions, Ducey is asking residents to stay home to avoid further spikes, Fox 10 reported.
This news comes the same day that Vice President Mike Pence postponed the campaign’s scheduled events in Arizona and Florida due to increasing COVID numbers there. However, he will continue to travel to Florida, Arizona and Texas next week to meet with the governors to get an idea of what is happening on the ground.
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“Vice President Pence will no longer participate in campaign events in Arizona and Florida this week,” a spokesman close to Pence told Fox News on Saturday. “This is related to the increased number of coronaviruses in those states.”
Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
