Arizona governor facing pressure to act as virus cases surge

PHOENIX (AP) — A group of Arizona medical professionals is urging Republican Gov. Doug Ducey to take steps like requiring masks in public to slow a major increase in new coronavirus cases that has made the state a national hot spot.

The state's top Democratic politicians are also on board, with everyone from U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema to mayors pushing for tougher action.

The state's biggest newspaper, The Arizona Republic, is also sounding alarms and calling for action.

So far, Ducey has resisted. Since he allowed the state's stay-home and most business closure orders to expire in mid-May, the second-term governor has taken no new steps to rein in activities like raging bar scenes and the lack of mask-wearing by many people in stores, restaurants and other public spaces.

The rising numbers may force his hand. Arizona hospitals were treating a record number of coronavirus patients Tuesday amid a surge of new cases. The state's Health Services Department reported a record number of emergency room visits for the virus as well.

The governor plans a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

The health agency confirmed 1,827 new cases and 20 new deaths Wednesday. That brings the total confirmed cases to 40,924 and deaths to 1,239.

Hospitals were treating 1,582 patients on Tuesday, an increase of more than 500 from two weeks earlier. Emergency room visits for patients with virus symptoms soared to nearly 1,100. On June 3, hospitals reported seeing 638 patients in emergency rooms.

Statewide Tuesday, hospitals were at 85% of capacity. That's well above the 80% rate where Ducey said they would have to halt elective surgeries to preserve space.

Ducey said last week he would enforce that order, but Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ said the department hadn't yet required a...