Employers are devising plans to continue operating as the risk of the virus spreading increases. The Maricopa County Department for Public Health is working with businesses in the event employees get sick and cannot go to work.

Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine reviewed the department’s guidance to employers.

“We want them to have meetings over the telephone and work with employees to have a telework plan. We also want to make sure that employees can stay home when they're ill so they don’t expose others," Sunenshine said.

The state’s economy is starting to see business effects from the virus. Glen Hamer is president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce.

“There's going to be a number of other countries where you're going to see you know, significant drop. So in the tourism industry is the one that is most likely to, certainly in the short- and medium-term, get hit," Hamer said.

Hamer said he expects a decline of about 6% from international visitors. He also anticipates effects in manufacturing, healthcare and education services.