Experts around the country and in Arizona are raising alarms about Arizona's COVID-19 situation because cases and hospitalizations have increased for the past two weeks. Kacey Ernst, an infectious disease epidemiologist and Dr. at the University of Arizona, said all signs seem to point to increasing transmission of the disease. Increased testing could explain increased cases, but not increased hospitalizations, she said. Arizona does appear to be increasing more than other states, she said.

The University of Arizona and the state of Arizona are expanding COVID-19 antibody testing eligibility across the state to include all hospital employees, as well as health care professionals licensed by the boards of naturopathy, homeopathy, podiatry, chiropractic examiners, optometry and nine other health care categories. In addition, eligibility will include corrections officers and child safety workers employed by the state. Testing capacity also is expanding to include a new site in Nogales.

The federal funding will allow researchers to develop programs that weigh cultural factors to promote better health outcomes in communities with high-poverty Latino populations in Yuma County, Ariz.

While stay-at-home orders are lifting nationwide, quarantine and isolation orders can still be issued due to emergency declarations that remain in effect.

The University of Arizona Health Sciences spearheads a COVID-19 community response effort: ranging from outreach to widespread antibody testing and more.

UArizona Cancer Center, Banner – University Medicine continue state-of-the-art cancer care and cutting-edge research during COVID-19 pandemic