AZ Coronavirus: Presumptive Case Confirmed In Maricopa County

PHOENIX, AZ — One person is recovering at home Tuesday after a test for coronavirus came back with a "presumptive positive," Arizona public health agencies confirmed in a press release Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, the number of COVID-19 cases in Arizona has risen to two, with both in Maricopa County.

According to a statement from Maricopa County Department of Public Health and the Arizona Department of Health Services, the most recent presumptive positive test came from an unidentified man in his 20s.

The patient is not hospitalized and is recovering at home, authorities said. He is expected to make a full recovery.

According to the statement, the man had known contact with another presumptive positive case of COVID-19 outside of Arizona.

"With the case counts increasing around the country, it is no surprise that we have another case here in Maricopa County," Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, medical director for disease control for Maricopa County Department of Public Health, said in a statement. "The good news is that this individual is in stable condition and is expected to have a full recovery, as are most people who become infected with this disease."

According to the statement, testing for the patient began March 2, and the ADHS State Public Health Lab was able to detect the presumptive positive case on the same day.

MCDPH staff went on to interview close contacts of the patient, asking them to monitor their health and self-quarantine for 14 days.

"As far as risk to the public, we are still doing the case investigation of this individual, however, because we know when and where this individual was exposed, this does not represent community spread," Sunenshine said.

To date, 32 people have been tested for the virus in Arizona. Of those tests, 24 have been cleared, six remain pending, one was confirmed positive and one was confirmed "presumptive positive."

The one person confirmed positive in late January had recently returned from a trip to Wuhan, China, the center of the outbreak.

The COVID-19 virus is spread from person-to-person but can be avoided with everyday hygienic activities: regular washing of hands, avoiding contact with sick people, frequently disinfecting surfaces and sneezing into a tissue.

At this time, face masks are not recommended for healthy people. The CDC recommends face masks be reserved for healthcare workers, infected people and those caring for sick people at home or in a health care facility.

Click here for information on statewide coronavirus cases and testing at the Arizona State Public Health Lab.