Model Shows Maricopa County Adding 28,000 COVID-19 Cases Per Day Within Weeks; Masking Could Push That Down
Download mp3 (10.45 MB)The state Department of Health Services reported another 3,333 new cases of COVID-19 on July 2, bringing the number of in-state cases to more than 87,000. So far, 1,757 Arizonans have died of COVID-related illness, with 37 of those deaths having been reported July 2.
As the cases continue to climb, Vice President Mike Pence and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force were in Arizona on July 1.
Pence said he supports the steps Ducey has taken to prevent further spread, including orders this week to shut down gyms, bars and other businesses for the next month.
Ducey issued additional — but far less contentious — executive orders July 1. The latest extends the life of state programs that would have otherwise expired, including the Arizona Complete Count Committee responsible for the state’s 2020 Census outreach. Ducey also extended an early release program for people convicted of drug offenses, the State Library and several environmental quality programs.
There are a number of organizations across the country that are modeling how the COVID-19 pandemic might change over time. One, from PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), has a particularly striking projection: More than 28,000 COVID-19 cases per day in Maricopa County by the middle of this month.
To find out what’s behind that number, The Show spoke with Dr. David Rubin, the director of PolicyLab at CHOP, about what stands out to him about Maricopa County's virus trend.
