Four Pima County residents have died of COVID-19, up from two on Thursday, according to the Pima County Health Department website.
While no official information has been released about the two latest deaths, Pima County’s first fatal COVID-19 case was a 54-year-old Tucson woman who died at Tucson Medical Center on Monday, March 23. The women had diabetes, which put her at higher risk for developing more serious coronavirus symptoms, and died within hours of finding out she was positive.
The second death, which was announced Thursday, was a man in his 70s with "other health conditions that may have put him at higher risk."
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona is up to 665 as of Friday morning, with 102 identified cases in Pima County. According to the Arizona Department of Health Sciences, they have identified 13 coronavirus-related deaths throughout the state.
The Pima County Health Department’s website says the cases include one patient between the ages of zero and 17 years old, 36 patients between the ages of 18 and 40 years old, 35 patients between ages 41 and 65, and 25 patients ages 66 and older. The ages of five patients are currently unknown.
In a Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting on Thursday, Health Department Director Dr. Bob England said that as testing becomes more available, cases would continue to rise, but the state doesn’t have the capability to the amount of testing needed to get the full picture.
"We should assume that this infection is all over the community," he said during the meeting. "The numbers we have more reflect the availability of testing, or the lack thereof, than they do the reality of what's going on out there. We are seeing influenza-like illness pick back up during a time when influenza test results have declined. That means that what is actually going on is that this virus is causing an awful lot of respiratory illness that we just don't have at this point the capacity to test for."
Photos for March 26: Tucson gets by during coronavirus pandemic
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Izzy Thesz, a junior at the University of Arizona and member of the club cheer team, practices her tumbling in a mostly empty central mall outside of the Albert B. Weaver Science-Engineering Library, on March 26, 2020.
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Two pedestrians wearing gloves and masks walk past, a closed down, Chicago Music Store in Downtown Tucson on March 23, 2020. People in Tucson, Ariz. are starting to wear masks and gloves due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
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Bill Bresnahan, center, practices his putting with other golfers while waiting to tee off at hole one of Dell Urich Course at Randolph Golf Course in Tucson, Ariz., on March 23, 2020. Golf is increasingly becoming more popular due to the urged “Social Distance” because of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
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A sign at Sewell Elementary School, 425 N. Sahuaro Ave., informs the public that schools will be closed until April 10th due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). Photo taken in Tucson, Ariz., on March 25, 2020.
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Roman Martinez, freshman pre-business major at the University of Arizona, gets in a calisthenics workout using a Fit Core system at Mansfield Park, 2000 N. Fourth Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on March 25, 2020.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
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A women walks down N. Craycroft Rd. wearing a mask and gloves, due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), in Tucson, Ariz., on March 25, 2020.
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Sixten Jordan, center, senior creative media and film major at Northern Arizona University, Abigail Jackson, senior political science and international affairs major at NAU, and Max, 8-year-old mix, eat lunch at Mansfield Park, 2000 N. Fourth Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on March 25, 2020. Due to numerous places closing because of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), parks are becoming a popular spot to hangout and partake in activities.
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Marina Cornelius, owner of Floor Polish Dance + Fitness, teaches her Cardio Party-O class via Periscope to her students on March 20, 2020. Cornelius says this is the first time she's trying to livestream classes and is learning as she goes.
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Sun sets behind the darkened Galaxy Theater closed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 restrictions, entering their second week in effect, March 25, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
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Chris Larsen pours himself a drink while chatting, and keeping his distance, from a few of his neighbors in Bario Viejo during the nightly get-together at Mendoza Park, March 24, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
