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A patient with monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997. The rash is common with the disease, which is endemic to parts of West and Central Africa.

Cases of monkeypox have continued to rise in Pima County, with 18 confirmed as of Monday, but officials have no plans for public health mandates, like those from the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more»

UA President Robert C. Robbins during an event, announcing the closure of the University of Arizona's vaccination distribution site in June 2021.

The University of Arizona will likely rescind its COVID-19 mask mandate, but the shift hinges on a continued decline in new cases on campus as students and staff return from spring break. Read more»

UA President Robert C. Robbins during an event, announcing the closure of the University of Arizona's vaccination distribution site in June 2021.

While officials are "cautiously optimistic" about the decrease in the COVID-19 cases over the last few weeks, the University of Arizona will maintain its mask mandate on campus and continue to push for vaccinations and testing. Read more»

A vial of the COVID-19 vaccine during a ceremony to close the drive-thru vaccination site on the UA campsu in June 2021.

As the state continues to endure record levels of new infections driven by the Omicron variant, University of Arizona officials continued to press vaccinations and masking as a bulwark against continued spread. "The vaccine is just an incredible gift that we've been given," said UA President Robbins. Read more»

Dr. Marjorie Bessel, chief clinical officer for Banner Health, during a virtual press conference on Jan. 11, 2022

Arizona hospitals are facing an "exponential increase" in COVID-19 cases and a shortage of health care workers driven by the Omicron variant, and doctors are warning that hospitals are at the "brink of collapse." Read more»

Dr. Robert C. Robbins, the president of the UA, during a presentation over the summer on the UA's vaccinations site.

The University of Arizona will press forward with in-person classes beginning Wednesday despite the rise in COVID-19 cases throughout Arizona caused by the Omicron variant, officials said Monday. Read more»

Dr. Marjorie Bessel, the chief clinical officer for Banner Health, during a virtual press conference on Dec. 28, 2021.

The head of Banner Health Network, which operates dozens of hospitals in Arizona, continued to warn that health care providers are operating beyond their capacity, and will do so even without the Omicron variant, which has made one treatment far less effective, even as a new treatment becomes available. Read more»

Dr. Marjorie Bessel, the chief clinical officer for Banner Health, during a virtual press conference on Dec. 14, 2021.

Arizona hospitals are operating beyond capacity because of new COVID cases, and may be forced to use "crisis standards" to ration treatments, a Banner Health leader said. "You do not want us to get there." Read more»

UA President Robert C. Robbins speaks during the closure of the University of Arizona's vaccination site, which closed in June 2021.

As the University of Arizona braces for the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 and cases continue to rise in Pima County, UA President Robbins pressed students and employees to get vaccinated, seek out testing, and continue to follow good public health practices. Read more»

Dr. Theresa Cullen (pictured in this May 2020 file photo) talked to reporters on Tuesday about the importance of staying safe against COVID during the holidays.

A new surge in COVID-19 cases is already taking place in Pima County, and officials warned that not taking precautions during holiday gatherings will make it worse — especially for hospitals and schools. Read more»

Children who come down with COVID-19 are at heightened risk of developing multi-system inflammatory syndrome, in which their heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract can become severely inflamed.

Pediatricians across the Valley are beginning to schedule appointments for vaccinations for COVID-19 and the Arizona Department of Health Services is emphasizing the safety of the vaccine as the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve it for ages 5 through 11. Read more»

Dr. Richard Carmona during a press conference at the University of Arizona in March 2021.

As Arizona rightfully focuses its attention on the tragic toll COVID-19 has taken on our state, I grieve for those lost to this virus. I'm frustrated and angry beyond words that COVID-19 still threatens not just lives but our economy, our jobs, our access to healthcare, our children's chances at the best possible education, and our way of life. Read more»

People waiting in line for vaccines at Tucson Medical Center in January.

Among rural counties, Santa Cruz County has one of the highest vaccination rates in the U.S. after the county managed to fully vaccinate more than 87.7 percent of its total population. Among those eligible for vaccination, including children 12 and older, the county has a vaccination rate at nearly 100 percent, according to the CDC. Read more»

Supervisors from Arizona's four border counties — Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz and Yuma — have asked officials to allow rural hospitals to transfer critically ill patients to larger regional facilities because providers are "nearing collapse" due to patients infected with COVID-19. Read more»

Don Herrington will succeed Dr. Cara Christ, serving as the interim director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Don Herrington, 21-year veteran of the Arizona Department of Health Services will become the agency's interim director, and former surgeon general Dr. Richard Carmona was tapped to lead a statewide effort to boost vaccinations, the governor's office said Thursday. Read more»

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