As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread across the state, the economy is taking a massive blow.

Here are some ways you can look for help in these troubling times.

• ARIZONA@WORK, a statewide workforce development network that helps employers of all sizes and types recruit, develop and retain the best employees for their needs, is posting a regularly updated list of employers who are hiring in Arizona. Find it here.

.• If your small business has been impacted by the outbreak, you may be eligible for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan to pay fixed debts, accounts payable, payroll and other bills. Find more information at sba.gov.

• The Community Action Agency Pima County works with partners who provide programs for low-income families and the larger community. They may be able to provide rent help (including mortgage assistance and eviction prevention), financial assistance, health care support or food assistance. Call 724-2667 or visit needhelppayingbills.com.

• The Restaurant Workers Community Fund has compiled a list of resources to help restaurants and workers who have been negatively impacted by the virus, including a relief fund the organization is developing itself. Also, news about unemployment, other relief funds, financial assistance and health care. Visit restaurantworkerscf.org.

• The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona is creating two relief funds for nonprofit organizations impacted by COVID-19. The COVID-19 Event Relief Fund will support nonprofits who have had to cancel fundraising events in response to the virus, and the COVID-19 Community Support Fund will support nonprofits experiencing increased service demands. Visit cfsaz.org/covid19 or call 770-0800 for more information.

• The Community Investment Corporation (CIC) is supporting local small businesses via specialized loan products and partnerships. CIC’s immediate offerings will help bridge current and impending gaps in cash flow for small businesses as the details for a government stimulus package and qualifications for assistance are finalized. CIC can offer business microloans of up to $10,000 and is making any small biz affected by COVID-19 eligible for its nonprofit partnership and enhanced community benefit rates of 3%. Loan terms can also be extended out to 5 years as needed. Additional loans with interest-only payments for up to six months may also be available, along with other loan alternatives. For details, visit CICTucson.org.

If you have an organization that you'd like included in this list, please email [email protected].

As of today’s official count from the Arizona Department of Health Services, 326 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Arizona. There are 42 confirmed cases in Pima County.

One person in Pima County, a woman in her 50s with underlying health conditions, has died from the illnesses, which has killed a total five people statewide.

Governor Doug Ducey and Superintendent Kathy Hoffman announced a new state-funded childcare program for front line workers across Arizona starting next week.

The state's Arizona Enrichment Centers will be open for first responders, critical health care workers, essential public sector workers and other staff essential to combating the spread of COVID-19. The centers will be following CDC Guidance for Schools and Childcare Programs, in addition to ADHS Childcare Facility Guidance and further guidelines set by local health departments.

The details on exactly who qualifies and how to register for the program are unavailable at the moment, but more information "will be forthcoming over the next few days," according to the release. However they do suggest contacting via email, [email protected], you have "pressing questions" in the meantime.

Additional information about Arizona Enrichment Centers:

Phoenix and Tucson residents who have concerns about COVID-19 symptoms or possible exposure can now call a Banner Health hotline and speak with a clinical team member to determine if they need to be tested.

This hotline is tied to Banner's new effort to establish drive-up COVID-19 testing sites in metropolitan areas. Today, three of these sites opened in Phoenix and one opened in Tucson. More are expected to open in the coming weeks.

The location of the testing site is not being advertised because it's currently available on an appointment-only basis. Banner wants to screen people through their hotline before having them show up for testing. If someone comes to the site and requests a test without being screened first, they will be turned away.

Many people in Tucson have found themselves either working from home, attending classes from home or staying home with their children during the COVID-19 emergency. The Pima Animal Care Center hopes some will use this as an opportunity to foster a pet from their shelter, which has seen a rapid increase in animals as adoptions slow down but strays keep coming in.

PACC took in 1,600 pets in April 2019. If that number were to happen again this year, they will definitely run out of space in their facility located at 4000 N. Silverbell Road.

Fostering an animal would not only allow room for other animals to be saved and sheltered within the care center, but would allow an animal who already experienced the stressful environment of the pound to get some peace and quiet.

PACC said people can visit their foster webpage to learn how to sign up to be an on-deck foster. The shelter will review participants' information and call once they find a pet that would be a good match for them. Once a match has been determined, PACC will arrange a curbside pick-up of the foster pet.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona jumped from 152 to 235 today, with seven new cases in Pima County bringing the total here to 24.

In Maricopa County, the numbers jumped from 88 to 139.

Two people in Arizona have died after being being infected by COVID-19, a highly infectious virus that is sweeping cities in the United States and across the globe. The first was a man in his 50s and the second was a man in his 70s, according to state officials. Both had underlying health conditions.

The rise in cases corresponds with increased testing for COVID-19 but health officials warn that far more people have likely been exposed to the virus. Symptoms can take up to 14 days to appear, so people can pass the virus without realizing they have been infected with it. Some people remain entirely asymptotic but are carriers.

Restaurants have been limited to take-out and delivery services in counties where cases of the virus have been confirmed. Here's a partial list of Tucson-area restaurants offering take-out and delivery services.

Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered schools closed through April 10. He has also ordered bars, gyms and theaters to be closed in any county with confirmed COVID-19 cases, halted all elective surgery to keep hospital beds available for COVID-19 patients and activated the National Guard to assist in grocery stores as Arizonans clear the shelves.

As hospitals brace for an upcoming flood of COVID-19 patients, Ducey announced this weekend that the state had tapped 25 percent of its reserve supply from the Strategic National Stockpile, a national stockpile of medical equipment managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. Ducey said he had asked for additional equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile.

This story was originally published by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.

As of Friday, Louisiana was reporting 479 confirmed cases of COVID-19, one of the highest numbers in the country. Ten people had died. The majority of cases are in New Orleans, which now has one confirmed case for every 1,000 residents. New Orleans had held Mardi Gras celebrations just two weeks before its first patient, with more than a million revelers on its streets.

I spoke to a respiratory therapist there, whose job is to ensure that patients are breathing well. He works in a medium-sized city hospital’s intensive care unit. (We are withholding his name and employer, as he fears retaliation.) Before the virus came to New Orleans, his days were pretty relaxed, nebulizing patients with asthma, adjusting oxygen tubes that run through the nose or, in the most severe cases, setting up and managing ventilators. His patients were usually older, with chronic health conditions and bad lungs.

Since last week, he’s been running ventilators for the sickest COVID-19 patients. Many are relatively young, in their 40s and 50s, and have minimal, if any, preexisting conditions in their charts. He is overwhelmed, stunned by the manifestation of the infection, both its speed and intensity. The ICU where he works has essentially become a coronavirus unit. He estimates that his hospital has admitted dozens of confirmed or presumptive coronavirus patients. About a third have ended up on ventilators.

His hospital had not prepared for this volume before the virus first appeared. One physician had tried to raise alarms, asking about negative pressure rooms and ventilators. Most staff concluded that he was overreacting. “They thought the media was overhyping it,” the respiratory therapist told me. “In retrospect, he was right to be concerned.”

He spoke to me by phone on Thursday about why, exactly, he has been so alarmed. His account has been condensed and edited for clarity.

“Reading about it in the news, I knew it was going to be bad, but we deal with the flu every year so I was thinking: Well, it’s probably not that much worse than the flu. But seeing patients with COVID-19 completely changed my perspective, and it’s a lot more frightening.”

This is knocking out what should be perfectly fit, healthy people.

“I have patients in their early 40s and, yeah, I was kind of shocked. I’m seeing people who look relatively healthy with a minimal health history, and they are completely wiped out, like they’ve been hit by a truck. This is knocking out what should be perfectly fit, healthy people. Patients will be on minimal support, on a little bit of oxygen, and then all of a sudden, they go into complete respiratory arrest, shut down and can’t breathe at all.”

Arizona health authorities are reporting a second death from COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that is spreading across the United States and other countries.

The victim was a man in his 70s with underlying health conditions, according to a press release. The first victim was a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions.

The state reports 152 confirmed cases of COVID-19, though the scarcity of tests means that many people with symptoms have not been able to be tested; the state lab has done only 408 tests, although private labs are also testing. Of the 408 cases tested by the state, 282 have been ruled out and 39 have been confirmed, with 87 tests pending. Full state numbers here.

Pima County has 17 confirmed cases, a jump of five from yesterday's tally of 12. Maricopa County has 81 confirmed cases, Pinal County has 16 confirmed cases, Coconino County has 14 confirmed cases and Navajo County has 13 confirmed cases. The remainder of the counties except Mohave, La Paz, Gila and Greenlee have confirmed cases in the single digits.

Restaurants have been limited to take-out and delivery services in counties where the virus has appeared. Here's a partial list of Tucson-area restaurants offering take-out and delivery services.

Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered schools closed through April 20. He has also ordered bars, gyms and theaters to be closed in any county with confirmed COVID-19 cases, halted all elective surgery to keep hospital beds available for COVID-19 patients and called up the National Guard to assist in grocery stores as Arizonans clear the shelves.

As hospitals brace for an upcoming flood of COVID-19 patients, Ducey announced yesterday that the state had tapped 25 percent of its reserve supply from the Strategic National Stockpile, a national stockpile of medical equipment managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. Ducey said he had asked for additional equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile.

“Arizona is working to keep our health professionals safe,” said Ducey in a prepared statement. “This shipment from the Strategic National Stockpile includes thousands of masks, face shields, surgical gowns, gloves and more—and we are working to get these supplies where they are needed as soon as possible. My sincere thanks to the doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, first responders and everyone working to protect public health and safety during this outbreak.”

The state has received 60,900 N95 masks, 244,000 surgical face masks, 26,208 face shields, 22,200 surgical gowns, 102 coveralls and nearly 90,000 sets of gloves.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 symptoms typically occur two to 14 days after exposure, and include fever, cough and shortness of breath. However, some cases of the virus are entirely asymptomatic. Practices to avoid infection include social distancing (of at least six feet), washing your hands, avoiding unnecessary trips and not touching your face. COVID-19 can survive on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on stainless steel and plastic surfaces up to three days.

If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, call your healthcare provider for medical advice.

The first death due to COVID-19 in Arizona has been reported by an Arizona State Health Department press release. The deceased is a Maricopa County man in his 50s with underlying health conditions.

According to the AZDHS press release:

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) have confirmed the first death due to COVID-19 in Arizona. The individual was a male in his 50s with underlying health conditions. MCDPH is in the process of notifying close contacts of this person and will be asking them to monitor for symptoms.

“We express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends grieving their loved one during this difficult time,” said Dr. Cara Christ, ADHS Director. “COVID-19 is a serious disease that can be fatal in anyone, especially our elderly population and people with underlying health conditions. We expect to see more cases of COVID-19 in Arizona, and there could be more deaths. It is imperative that everyone takes precautions to protect you and your family from this disease.”

As of yesterday's Arizona Department of Health Services report, eight people in Pima County have tested tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 63 people have tested positive, 101 cases are still pending and 211 have been ruled out. Statewide numbers updated here.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 symptoms typically occur two to 14 days after exposure, and include fever, cough and shortness of breath. However, some cases of the virus are entirely asymptomatic. Practices to avoid infection include social distancing (of at least six feet), washing your hands, avoiding unnecessary trips and not touching your face. COVID-19 can survive on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on stainless steel and plastic surfaces up to three days. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, call your healthcare provider for medical advice.

For more information, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov

Gov. Doug Ducey and Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman have announced that school closures will continue through at least April 10.

The press release from Ducey's office:

Governor Doug Ducey and Superintendent Kathy Hoffman today announced a two-week extension of school closures through Friday, April 10, 2020. Going forward, Governor Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman will continue to provide updates and guidance about the need for continued school closures beyond that date.

View Governor Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman’s open letter to Arizona families, educators, school leaders, and education community members HERE.

“Our goal is to get kids safely back in the classroom as soon as possible while providing parents and educators certainty so they can plan and make decisions,” said Governor Ducey. “I’m grateful to Superintendent Hoffman for her continued partnership and leadership. We are unified in our efforts to address COVID-19, and will continue to keep parents and educators informed.”

“Our number one priority is the health and safety of all Arizonans, especially our kids,” said Superintendent Hoffman. “Our office continues to work closely with school administrators and partners to provide parents, families, and schools resources and flexibility to mitigate the impact of school closure. This will continue to be our top priority.”

Additional information about meals for kids, childcare, special education considerations, learning resources for families and educators and more can be found at azed.gov.

In their letter, Governor Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman requested that schools continue to adhere to the following measures:

School administrators should make every effort to provide continued education learning opportunities through online resources or materials that can be sent home.

School administrators should work with the Arizona Department of Education to provide breakfast and lunch services for Arizona students.

As demand rises on healthcare professionals and first responders, schools should consider expanding child care programs currently available to ensure minimal disruption to these critical jobs as a result of the school closure.

When school resumes, school administrators should develop and implement precautions to ensure schools are a safe learning environment, including social distancing measures, regular intervals for administrators to wash and sanitize their hands, and guidance on how to properly and frequently sanitize election equipment and common surfaces.

More information about COVID-19 can be found at azhealth.gov/COVID19.

Press release from Sun Tran:

In an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the City of Tucson will make the following changes to transit services:

Beginning Saturday, March 21, 2020, the City of Tucson will waive the fares on Sun Tran, Sun Link and Sun Van. These changes are in effect through the end of March, at which point it will be reevaluated.

Transit is an essential service and will remain available during this time. For the safety of our drivers, with the exception of persons using mobility devices, riders will enter and exit the bus from the rear access door. A yellow line and rope have been placed behind the driver to help promote social distancing.

Additionally, in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the City of Tucson would ask the public to only use transit for essential services. When utilizing the service, please practice six (6) feet social distancing among passengers. Please keep in mind, loitering on public transit is prohibited.