Gila County health officials recently reported an uptick in COVID-19 cases, particularly in the communities of Payson, Star Valley, and Pine. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports.
Gila County had 31 new cases of coronavirus in a two-week span, roughly twice the expected rate. That led to a rise in hospitalizations and intensive care admissions. Stella Gore leads the county’s COVID investigation team. She says all of the infected people were unvaccinated and had attended large events such as graduation parties. Gore says, "It’s just important to remember that COVID isn’t over and that we are still seeing some cases, and if you’re not vaccinated it’s in your best interest to avoid large gatherings, and we definitely recommend getting vaccinated as soon as possible."
Gore says she hopes the uptick is temporary. Nearly half of Gila County’s residents have been vaccinated and case numbers dramatically dropped after vaccines became widely available.
For information about COVID-19 vaccinations please call the Gila County Vaccine Hotline (928) 910-4009.
For information about COVID-19 testing in Northern Gila County please contact the Gila County Health Department Testing Hotline (928) 200-7668.
