State health administrators are withholding basic information about where coronavirus cases are emerging, refusing to provide case totals by ZIP codes based on individual privacy concerns.

Arizona provides broad numbers related to the virus, including totals on cases, deaths, the number of completed tests and the number of positive results. Unlike some states, it has not yet provided information about the number of patients in hospitals or on deaths at residential care centers.

It also does not break down cases by geography more granularly than the county level. And many of Arizona's counties are massive, bigger than many states.

County health departments sometimes provide more data, but the hodgepodge of information coming from Arizona's 15 counties makes tracking the illness from one county to another an epidemiological jigsaw puzzle.

Residents around the state are asking for more, saying standardized data about the virus will help keep them safe. They want to know how many people have recovered, what percentage of hospital beds are in use and where people who contract the virus live and where they've traveled.

"I'm not able to see where death is occurring," said Sharon Cotter of Tucson. "I can't see it by area. I can't see if rural areas are being taken care of as well (as metropolitan)."

Cotter, 71, is a former intensive care nurse and a retired data analyst for IBM. She said she began tracking coronavirus spread on March 1, comparing death rates based on lagged and real-time infection data.

She said the lack of data from the state doesn't allow her to draw conclusions about where the virus is spreading or who is getting sick. By contrast, data from New York allows anyone to plot the spread of the virus from neighborhood to neighborhood.

"I have been able to get matched data by country and by state, but unable to get it by county," Cotter said. "I'm not convinced (counties) are all reporting the same thing."

Some city, county and state officials share Cotter's frustration. They say geographic data is critical for the safety of police officers, firefighters and medical professionals and to coordinate local responses to COVID-19 outbreaks.

Concern over the state's unwillingness to allow them to track coronavirus cases by neighborhoods or to turn over nonidentifying data prompted several Pinal County officials to file a lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The lawsuit, filed on Friday in Pinal County Superior Court, asks for the emergency release of general coronavirus data to local authorities and the public.

"Due to the current clear and imminent danger of the Coronavirus to public health, we ... plead with the court to compel all Arizona state and local public health agencies ... to immediately release all prior general and non-personally identifiable information," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit, by Arizona Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, also targets the Pinal County Health Department. Townsend said she is considering filing against other counties.

The mayors of Florence and Apache Junction, two Apache Junction council members, the fire chief and a Pinal County supervisor joined the lawsuit.

"There is power in knowledge," Townsend said on Monday. "We're not looking to violate anyone's privacy."

Townsend said before filing suit she reached out to the state and got a "pretty brazen" response that simply said she wasn't entitled to the data.

Gov. Doug Ducey's office said on Monday it could not comment on pending litigation but tried to downplay any safety concerns.

"As it pertains to this issue, we're in close communication with members of law enforcement and local partners and want to work with them to take actions that are in the best interest of public health," Ducey's spokesman Patrick Ptak said.

The Pinal County Health Department says the data raises issues of patient privacy. But, more importantly, geographic data concerning the spread could lead the public to stop taking precautions, officials said.

"We don't want people to be complacent," James Daniels, Pinal County director of communications, said. "Or to think they don't have to take precautions like everybody else because it is not in my area."

Daniels said the county is following the state's lead in releasing data. He said coronavirus is prevalent throughout Arizona and residents should act accordingly rather than try to pinpoint hot spots.

Brnovich: 'Transparency should be the rule'

The state's position appears to be at odds with the Arizona attorney general, who said in March that public officials could release nonidentifiable information about state employees who test positive for COVID-19.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich doesn't agree with the state's position. In a March 30 opinion, he said nothing prohibits public officials from disclosing general information about the virus, including georgraphical data.

"Protecting the public is paramount during times of crisis, and transparency should be the rule rather than the exception," Brnovich said in the opinion.

At issue were questions about whether state officials could share nonidentifying information about employees who tested positive for the virus and how much information universities could release about infections on campus.

Brnovich said public universities can disclose information necessary to protect the health and safety of students and others so long as the information doesn't identify a person.

"Nothing, however, prohibits the universities from disclosing additional information, such as the campus, buildings or dorms frequented by the student during the incubation period and/or while exhibiting symptoms," he said.

A risk to first responders?

Apache Junction Mayor Jeff Serdy said Monday the lack of information from the state poses a risk to first responders. He said geographical data could indicate at-risk populations or neighborhoods with a high concentration of infections.

"I feel first responders are put at risk," he said. "They have a right to know ... We want them to be as safe as possible."

Serdy said keeping coronavirus data secret is no different than sending police officers to an area without telling them a tiger is on the loose. Who would withhold that kind of information, he asked.

Serdy said the state health department brushed off their concerns via a letter.

"That was my feeling," he said. "The letter was a little bit dismissive."

The lawsuit asks for the number of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths by ZIP code and date. It also asks for details on testing practices pending results, the number of hospitalized patients, and the number of available ventilators.

Townsend said making information available to the public will help to reduce panic and give local officials the tools they need to address community spread. She said it will allow them to target hot spots.

"I am hoping we are fully releasing as much data as possible," Townsend said.

The state health department's policy

State officials have said COVID-19 isn’t like measles, where it stays very contagious and people need to be notified in case they were at a certain place at a certain time.

Even if more details were known, Arizonans can’t avoid COVID-19 by avoiding certain cities or coronavirus "hot spots." It’s too late for that.

Arizona is experiencing what’s called “community spread,” where the source of infection is unknown. That means anyone may have a connection to a place where a COVID-19 patient has been, or may know a patient or someone who knows a patient.

Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association, said additional data won't stop the virus, but social distancing could.

"To be honest, the data, even if it was readily available, and everyone knew exactly where the known cases are, that information isn't what's going to help you," he said.

Republic reporter Rachel Leingang contributed to this article.

Robert Anglen investigates consumer issues for The Republic. If you're the victim of fraud, waste or abuse, reach him at robert.anglen@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8694. Follow him on Twitter @robertanglen

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