The Arizona Department of Health Services is reporting nearly 10,000 cases of COVID-19 in the state.

As of Thursday morning, there are 9,945 cases and 450 deaths of coronavirus in the state, per AZDHS. Those numbers are increases of 238 and 24 from the previous day, respectively.

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health is reporting 5,042 positive cases and 198 deaths in the state's most populous county. The state shows 5,196 cases in Maricopa County. The numbers differ due to differences in data reporting download times.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. But it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death for some people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

MCDPH reports 135 people who have died in the county are from long term care facilities.  Some 857 LTC residents have tested positive for COVID-19, with 208 hospitalized.

Arizona is getting ready to reopen certain businesses, starting with salons and barbershops on Friday, May 8. Restaurants will be allowed to let patrons dine in starting Monday, May 11.

Ducey order going to court

Attorneys for Gov. Doug Ducey go to court Friday to defend the legality of his stay-at-home order.

U.S. District Court Judge Murray Snow will hear arguments by Joseph McGhee that there was no legal basis for the governor on March 30 to tell Arizonans that they must remain at home except to participate in certain either essential or constitutionally protected activities. Mr. McGee, who is representing himself, said Mr. Ducey had access to enough scientific information at the time to prove that COVID-19 was no more deadly than a host of other diseases.

Brett Johnson, a private attorney hired by Mr. Ducey to defend the order, counters that there was a sufficient risk to justify the restriction. They also contend that Mr. McGhee has no legal right to challenge the order because he did not spell out what activities that he, personally, would otherwise have done had the stay-at-home order not been in effect.

But Mr. McGhee told Capitol Media Services that’s not the standard.

“The specific injury is the fact that, essentially, the entire state of Arizona is subject to a mass detention in their homes,” he said. Mr. McGhee said the only exceptions Mr. Ducey permitted were to participate in activities and services the governor deemed “essential.”

Swimming lessons affected due to COVID-19

Triple-digit temperatures are upon Arizona, with some residents hitting their pools to stay cool.

But with COVID-19 affecting public spaces like gyms and city pools, an important piece of the swimming process has been stunted: in-person education.

“Swimming is not something that can be learned online. It has to be learned in the water,” said Dejan Simurdic, owner of British Swim School- East Valley. “It’s a completely different environment. It’s a completely different set of muscles.”