PHOENIX (AP) - One of two health club chains in Arizona that had defied a state order to shut down and faced possible legal action said Friday it had closed.
Life Time Fitness informed state officials of its decision after getting a letter on Thursday threatening legal action by the state.
Mountainside Fitness CEO Tom Hatten said he would keep his chain open for now.
“We are going to stay open until we have our day in court, which is Monday morning,” Hatten said at a Mountainside location in Scottsdale. “If the court does not allow a stay, we will comply and respect the court’s decision. We will deal with being closed again.”
“We are not the cause of the coronavirus spike. Period,” Hatten said previously.
Natalie Bushaw, a spokeswoman for Life Time, said it had closed indoor portions of its gyms Friday through Monday evening out of respect for Gov. Doug Ducey. She said that will provide time to meet with Ducey and his team to collaborate on how they can quickly reopen.
“We believe that health clubs and gyms can operate more safely than any other business,” she said. “Plus, contact tracing can be performed, where needed, because every member visit is recorded.”
The chains previously said they have made changes to protect against the virus, and there’s no evidence of any outbreaks at their gyms in the state.
They say Ducey is singling out their industry while other businesses that do a poor job at social distancing are allowed to remain open.
The latest figures from Arizona health officials indicate hospitalizations and emergency room visits have reached new peaks in the state - already a virus hotspot.
The officials said intensive care units are operating at an all-time high of 91% of capacity.
The number of people hospitalized on Thursday due to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 was 3,013, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported. It’s the first time that figure has surpassed 3,000.
The number of people who went to the ER because of COVID-19 symptoms reached 1,847 - nearly 500 more than a day earlier.
The state on Friday reported 4,433 new cases of the virus and 31 more deaths. Arizona has now reported a total of 91,858 cases and 1,788 deaths.
The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
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