By Rachel Leingang | Arizona Republic
The state reopened May 15. Cases and hospitalizations here have taken off since the end of May. But finding any one factor for why is next to impossible.
Instead, health officials say the virus is now widespread, and people could be picking it up from a variety of activities and places. After weeks of not rolling back elements of the state’s reopening, Gov. Doug Ducey on Monday announced a “pause,” shutting down bars, gyms, theaters, water parks and inner-tubing until July 27.
It’s not known the extent to which those locations have been tied to a rise in cases, or what activities in general are causing COVID-19 numbers to skyrocket.
But here’s what we do know: Maricopa County and the Phoenix area have the highest number of cases overall and have seen massive increases in the past month. The average age of people with the virus has grown younger since the state’s reopening.
