The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 5,251 as of Tuesday, April 21, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County had 963 confirmed cases.

The coronavirus had killed 208 people statewide, including 65 in Pima County, according to the report.

In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had risen to 2,738.

Testing still lags in Arizona, so those numbers undercount the number of people infected with the virus, according to health officials. The state is not yet releasing information about how many people who have tested positive have now recovered.

Because COVID-19 symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (and some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials say community spread of the disease is worse than the official numbers suggest. They continue to urge the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people and have advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.

Far-right protestors spent Sunday and Monday expressing their unhappiness with Gov. Doug Ducey’s stay-at-home order that has closed a wide number of “non-essential” businesses, including many retail stores, barbershops, salons, and swap meets. Public parks remain open but amenities such as playgrounds and restrooms are closed.

Under the stay-at-home order, which is set to expire on April 30 unless it is renewed, Arizonans are still able to shop for groceries, medical and household needs, and pet supplies. They can also go work, pick up a take-out meal from a restaurant, travel to take care of a family member, friend or pet, and can still go walking, hiking, biking and golfing, provided that they adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Today is 4/20, and this is the news we've covered today:

• The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona had topped 5,000 as of Monday, April 20, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
• Here's what America's Governors need not ignore as they open their states.
• This Friday, April 24, Southern Arizona's Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory will be hosting a livestream "star party," where viewers can watch the night sky as it appears in multiple locations throughout the county, and interact with astronomers.
• In the early morning hours of Thursday, April 9, the staff at the Reid Park Zoo performing rounds discovered three adult meerkats huddled around squirming legs—the excited gesticulations of five newborn pups.
• If there has been any type of silver lining in the short term during this pandemic, it's this one: the Earth keeps spinning and moves on with or without us.
• Parents picking up homework for their young children at 14 schools across Tucson were recently handed a dozen brand new books to help get through the summer slump.
• ICYMI: Our winners for the 2020 Tucson Weedly Cannabis Bowl.

April 22 has been known for the past 50 years as Earth Day. There are a lot of ways to celebrate the Earth, even though at the moment most of us are quarantined inside our homes. But something peculiar has been happening while we all hunker down.

If there has been any type of silver lining in the short term during this pandemic, it's this one: the Earth keeps spinning and moves on with or without us.

Worldwide we have seen countless events that show the power of nature.

Nitrogen dioxide levels have decreased significantly over some areas of the world already. In India, the Himalayas can be seen again, and for some for the first time. South Africa is seeing lions nap on the side of the road now that there aren't cars on them. In Italy, the lack of boats disturbing the sediment has resulted in the fish being visible in the canals.

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published.

Memo to America’s Governors:
From: ProPublica

Subject: Restarting the Economy

After insisting that he had absolute power to decide when to reopen the American economy, President Donald Trump has turned over to all of you what he initially called “the biggest decision I’ve ever had to make.”

Trump is often guilty of hyperbole, but he’s right in this case. Figuring out how and when to let people go back to work during an outbreak of life-threatening disease is the most consequential decision any of you will ever face. You’ve already seen the stakes in New York, New Jersey and Michigan. Get this wrong and thousands of people in your state will die. As the presidential election campaign heats up, count on the president to blast you for high unemployment rates in your state (you lifted restrictions too slowly) or clusters of deaths (you went too far, too soon).

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona had topped 5,000 as of Monday, April 20, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County had seen 941 of the state’s 5,064 confirmed cases.

The coronavirus had killed 187 people statewide, including 58 in Pima County, according to the report.

In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had risen to 2,636.

Testing still lags in Arizona, so those numbers undercount the number of people infected with the virus, according to health officials. The state is not yet releasing information about how many people who have tested positive have now recovered.

Because COVID-19 symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (and some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials say community spread of the disease is far worse than the official numbers suggest. They have urged the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people and advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.

Protestors drove cars around the state Capitol yesterday and planned to return today to express their unhappiness with Gov. Doug Ducey’s stay-at-home order that has closed a wide number of “non-essential” businesses, including many retail stores, barbershops, salons, and swap meets. Public parks remain open but amenities such as playgrounds and restrooms are closed.

Under the stay-at-home order, which is set to expire on April 30 unless it is renewed, Arizonans are still able to shop for groceries, medical and household needs, and pet supplies. They can also go work, pick up a take-out meal from a restaurant, travel to take care of a family member, friend or pet, and can still go walking, hiking, biking and golfing, provided that they adhere to social distancing guidelines.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona hit 4,719 as of Saturday, April 18, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County had seen 856 of the state’s confirmed cases.

The coronavirus had killed 177 people statewide, including 56 in Pima County, according to the report.

In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had risen to 2,491.

Because testing still lags in Arizona, health officials say those numbers undercount the number of people infected with the virus. The state is not yet releasing information about how many people who have tested positive have now recovered.

Walgreen's has begun offering COVID-19 drive-thru tests. For details on whether you can get one, click here.

Ducey this week announced a partnership with the University of Arizona to produce 250,000 tests for COVID-19 antibodies. Such tests could tell people if they have already been exposed to COVID-19, which is deadly to some patients while others remain asymptomatic. Testing for antibodies could identify people who are no longer at risk for catching COVID-19, although there have been reports of people coming down with the disease after beating it once. Ducey said the tests would go to healthcare workers and first responders.

Here are the stories we covered today:

• The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona hit 4,507 as of Friday, April 17, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
• There's a virtual prom tonight being hosted by John Krasinski over YouTube.
• Local business owners have been left stranded after the Small Business Association announced their rescue loan program ran out of money on Thursday, April 16.
• In response to the financial impact of COVID-19, the University of Arizona will furlough most of their nearly 15,000 employees beginning May 11 until June 30.
• The City of Tucson is rolling out a new program today using local hotels to provide shelter and isolation for the homeless exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or who are at high risk for contracting the disease.
• Marana High School senior Matthew Glasshoff is competing against 48 other thespians in this year's English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition.
• As of Friday, April 17, Walgreens is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at their 10315 E. Broadway Blvd. location.
• Times are tough, money is tight, and local restaurants could use help more now than ever— especially when it comes to advertising themselves to the public on a dime.

The City of Tucson rolled out its new program using local hotels to provide shelter and isolation for the homeless population exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or who are at high risk for contracting the disease.

The program currently has a total of 315 rooms split between two hotels. One hotel will have 115 rooms dedicated to the homeless already ill, while the second hotel will offer 200 rooms for those who may be at high-risk, such as the elderly homeless population, said Liz Morales, Director of City of Tucson’s Housing & Community Development Department.

“It has taken a lot of coordination but we are moving people from our shelters that are either symptomatic or at very high risk based on their age or underlying health conditions,” Morales said. “We have a screening tool that allows us to identify what category they meet, and then we move them based on that criteria.”

The program is funded through a $1.67 million Emergency Solutions Grant allocated from the city’s $44 million CARES Act package. ESG money is to be used to prevent and prepare for a potential coronavirus outbreak in Tucson’s homeless population, said Morales.

In response to the financial impact of COVID-19, the University of Arizona will furlough most of their nearly 15,000 employees beginning May 11 until June 30.


Robbins submitted a proposal to the Arizona Board of Regents that establishes the following measures: Employees earning $44,449 or less annually will be furloughed for 13 days, resulting in a 5 percent pay reduction. Those earning between $44,500 and $75,000 will be furloughed for 26 days, resulting in a 10 percent pay reduction. Those earning between $75,001 and $150,000 will be furloughed for 39 days, resulting in a 15 percent pay reduction.

"I know this situation is incredibly hard, and it makes it even more difficult to focus on our health and well-being during the pandemic," Robins wrote in his letter to the UA staff today.

The furloughs will not be taken all at once, but rather incrementally each pay period.

The university's highest paid employees, who earn more than $150,000 annually, will receive 17 to 20 percent pay cuts instead of being furloughed.

Pay reductions will be prorated for employees who do not work full-time.


On March 11, the university ended all in-person classes and switched to a fully digital curriculum.

In the letter, Robbins said the university has already put a halt to previously approved building projects to save $7 million, they halted their fiscal year 2020 strategic plan funding to save $22 million, and their recently established pause on hiring and job changes saves another $26 million.

Robbins said he and other senior vice presidents took "immediate pay cuts" in March.

UA leadership anticipate a loss of more than $66 million by the end of this fiscal year, ending on June 30. Their projections estimate a total loss of more than $250 million.