Joshua LaBaer, PhD, director of the Biodesign Institute research center at Arizona State University, told the Associated Press (AP) that Arizona is “the hot spot of the world right now.” LaBaer added that he believes at least one in every 10 people in the state have the virus. “That means if you’re at the supermarket, there are people around you who have it, but they may not know it yet,” he said. The AP reported that Arizona currently has the worst coronavirus diagnosis rate in the country. One out of every 119 people in the state tested positive for the virus in the past week. And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. In the early summer, Arizona saw a horrifying spike in COVID cases. However, experts say that there’s more to worry about this time around. “It’s way worse than July already, and it’s going to continue to get worse,” Will Humble, head of the Arizona Public Health Association, told the AP. Humble compared Arizona’s current crisis to the dire situation in Los Angeles County, saying his state would shortly be following in their footsteps. “We’re probably two weeks behind L.A. in terms of our situation,” he predicted. And for more on the current state of the pandemic, The New COVID Strain Is Now in These 5 States. Following the skyrocketing COVID cases in Arizona in July, the state was able to bring the number down rapidly. The mitigation was so impressive that even Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), lauded the state for its ability to turn the tides. During an Aug. 7 conversation at Brown University, Fauci praised Arizona for being a “good example” of how we can recover.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb The NIAID director said that the impressive recovery was due to the state’s adherence to the basic precautions he and other officials had been talking about for months, including wearing a mask, washing your hands, maintaining distance, and avoiding crowds or indoor gatherings. And for more from the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, Dr. Fauci Just Issued This Warning About Another New COVID Strain. According to the AP, stronger measures, such as a statewide mask mandate, could help prevent future cases. For his part, Humble is doubtful the state will implement such a mandate. LaBaer suggests people in Arizona avoid going anywhere indoors that is unnecessary. “It’s not a time where I would recommend people spend time indoors with people who are not their immediate family,” he said. And for more on coronavirus risks, If You Have This Blood Type, You’re at a High Risk of Severe COVID.
