Pima County Coronavirus: 217 New Cases Monday, Masks Now Required

TUCSON, AZ — Cases of the new coronavirus continued to rise in Pima County on Monday with 217 new cases reported, bringing the county's total to 5,587.

According to data from the Arizona Department of Health Services, the rate of cases per 100,000 residents is now at 534.8.

No new deaths were reported on Monday, and the county's death toll remains at 242.

In an effort to quell further spread of the virus, the City of Tucson on Saturday mandated a requirement for every person over 2-years-old to wear a face covering when in a public place where physical distancing is difficult or not possible.

Pima County also requires that anyone over the age of 5 wear a mask when in public or when physical distance may be difficult to maintain.

Also on Saturday, Sun Tran announced it now requires all its passengers on public transit vehicles and in transit centers to wear masks. In a release, Sun Tran said drivers of its Sun Tran, Sun Link, Sun Van and Sun Shuttle vehicles are all permitted to refuse rides to passengers without masks.

Residents are discouraged from wearing N95 respirator-grade masks, but bandanas, cloths, scarves and non-medical masks are permitted.

Across Arizona, a total of 2,196 new cases of the coronavirus were reported on Monday, bringing the state's total to 54,586. Another three deaths were also reported, bringing the state's death toll to 1,342.

On Sunday, Arizona broke records for hospitalization rates with COVID-19 patients taking up more inpatient and ICU beds and ventilators than ever before.

Statewide, ICU beds had reached 84 percent capacity, and inpatient beds had reached 82 percent capacity, leaving little room for a spike in hospitalizations.

Further, 42 percent of the state's ventilators were in use as of Sunday, leaving just over 1,000 available should the state see an uptick in hospitalizations.

Amid rising case numbers, Gov. Doug Ducey last week rolled out restrictions aimed at businesses and restaurants. Businesses are now required to enforce social distancing and screen their employees for symptoms of COVID-19 prior to each shift.

Restaurants are also now required to enforce social distancing and practice certain sanitization measures.

The new requirements mark Ducey's first issuance of requirements for businesses since his stay-at-home order expired in May.

"There will be enforcement, and they will be held accountable," Ducey said about Arizona businesses, according to The Arizona Republic.