As COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket, Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered the closing of bars, gyms, movie theaters, water parks and river tubing activities for at least one month.

Ducey also said Arizona would delay the start of the school year to Aug. 17.

Ducey warned that Arizonans will see more cases of COVID-19 before the numbers begin to decrease.

“Our expectation is, our numbers will be worse,” said Ducey, who repeated his call for Arizonans to mask up when in public, stay home as much as possible, wash their hands and keep a physical distance from others.

The Department of Health will also activate its “crisis standards of care” and cancel non-emergency surgeries.

Ducey’s new moves come as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 74,000 threshold as of Monday, June 29, after the state reported 625 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

That said, Arizona Department of Health Services tweeted earlier this morning that not all new cases are reflected in this total, and that a higher number is to be expected tomorrow because of this.

Pima County had seen 7,568 of the state’s 74,533 confirmed cases.

Cases in Arizona have more than tripled since June 1, when the state had 20,123 confirmed cases.

A total of 1,588 people have died after contracting the virus, including 268 in Pima County.

Maricopa County has more than half the state’s cases, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hitting 45,178.

This morning’s Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that as of yesterday, 2,721  Arizonans were hospitalized, more than double the 1,009 hospitalized on June 1.

A total of 992 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 28. Previous to June, the number of people seeking help in emergency rooms never topped 667.

A total of 679 COVID-19 patients were in ICU beds yesterday.

More details to come.

This article appears in Jun 25 – Jul 1, 2020.

Getting hassled by The Man Mild-mannered reporter

10 replies on “Ducey: Bars, Theaters, Gyms, Water Parks Must Close; Start of School Year Delayed to Aug. 17”

  1. The same leftist writer trying to scare the public. Since AZ has millions of people those numbers are not high and the deaths in Pima county have not risen, but you keep reporting old numbers. Of course you want to close our state again so that will hurt our economy and play your game against Trump. Get a life. We are all using masks and social distancing. Phoenix has it the worst so why does the whole state have to suffer. Did you complain when your rioters and protesters were out walking without masks. Of course not. Tucson’s mayor Romero walked with them. Now she wants to close down the city. You people make me sick. Maybe if you got it we wouldn’t have to hear your rant anymore.

  2. Karen…

    I’m sorry, every time I start to write a response, I can’t get past your name.

  6. Where is the art of “Investigative Journalism “? It would be more helpful to understand the need for business closures, and social distancing if MR Nintzel’s reports were to include a comparison between those coming down with COVID-19 who are complying with social distancing, and those participating in riots where it is not practiced. Surely, this information would help us conclude , business closures, tanking the economy, and social distancing to be either absolute necessities, or not! Let’s not forget, the education of our children…allowing this virus to also be furthering the destruction of the educational system! No other deadly virus has ever caused such actions by the governments..COVID-19 warrants investigative reporting!

  7. Journalism? You are asking for investigative journalism? That is too funny. The mainstream media stopped that when they became mercenaries for the left and sold our future to the Communist Chinese. If you want investigative journalism it has become a DIY project.

  8. CHOP was scrubbed from the streets of Seattle at 8 am.

    Mayor Durkan issued an executive order on Wednesday to clear out the autonomous zone, citing “several gun violence incidents — two of which resulted in the loss of life — hostile crowds, the inability of emergency personnel to move quickly and efficiently in the area due to the barriers, narcotics use and violent crime — including rape, robbery, and assault — increased gang activity, business harassment, noise disturbances, property damage, open fires, and ongoing violations of the Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Code of Conduct,

  9. Dear Karen
    You are not all wearing masks and/or using social distancing.

    Showlow. Average age of employees= maybe 68. These people are wearing masks, because they are the most vulnerable. Yet opening their businesses because that’s how they pay their bills. This tiny town is packed with out of towners. Not wearing masks. Not using the hand sanitizers that are on the doors and cash registers. Not having a second thought about how the population of this usually tiny town could be decimated.
    Just trying to afford food should not make someone the victim of the selfish and uninformed.

  10. Hey Doug. How about you try some hand sanitizer..,, I hear that it is like wearing a mask … while running to the gym.

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