Health officials Wednesday warned of a “staggering” death toll in Arizona as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to rise unabated, citing fatigue over Covid-19 and crowded holiday gatherings as potential dangers.
Dr. Joshua LaBaer, executive director of Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute, said its team attributes a resurgence of cases in Arizona and nationwide to a potential new era in the pandemic – one in which Americans weary of eight months of isolation return to pre-Covid-19 routines of work, school and play.
That could lead to a rise that surpasses even the state’s spike last summer, when nearly 1 out of 4 tests were positive.
About two weeks ago, LaBaer cautioned that cases were about to reach 1,000 a day. That estimate turned out to be conservative.
