Cases of COVID-19 increased by seven, bringing Arizona's total cases to 27, the Arizona Department of Health Services website said Wednesday morning.
Currently, 265 people have been tested by the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory, with 102 cases pending results and 148 ruled out. These numbers only include those tested by the state lab and not private labs, though the confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 includes all labs currently testing for the coronavirus.
The uptick in confirmed cases comes as testing across the state and across the country is becoming more available, though some still complain that there is not enough access to the coronavirus test.
The ADHS website still lists the community spread of the coronavirus as minimal and recommends that all gatherings and events of more than 10 people be canceled or postponed until a later date. Dine-in eating at restaurants is discouraged, with many cities in the state announcing states of emergencies.
As of March 17, all 50 states in the U.S. have confirmed cases of COVID-19. As of Wednesday morning, cases are at least at 7,000 with 97 deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website said. Other news outlets, such as The New York Times, are reporting 116 deaths across the country.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected over 200,000 people and killed over 8,000, according to the Associated Press.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Wednesday the detail of its $1 trillion plan to help the economy amid the economic downturn the coronavirus has caused. The plan includes $500 billion to be sent out to citizens in two separate payments, according to the AP.
The stimulus package also calls for additional funding for small businesses and struggling sectors of the economy, such as airline companies.
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that "all foreclosures and evictions" will be suspended until April while the pandemic is ongoing. Trump also announced he was shutting down the border with Canada and that self-tests are being developed for COVID-19.
On Tuesday, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego declared a citywide emergency and requested all bars close down by 8 p.m.
Other cities, including Mesa and Tucson, also declared an emergency, and the Tempe City Council will meet Wednesday morning to discuss an ordinance allowing the mayor to declare an emergency.
Reach the reporter at wmyskow@asu.edu and follow @wmyskow on Twitter.
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Wyatt Myskow is the project manager at The State Press, where he oversees enterprise stories for the publication. He also works at The Arizona Republic, where he covers the cities of Peoria and Surprise.
