Arizona to remember COVID-19 dead at ‘Memorial Day’ event

PHOENIX (AP) — The nearly 28,000 Arizona residents who have died of COVID-19 will be honored with a public ceremony. A first ever COVID-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day will be held Monday afternoon at the Arizona Heritage Center in Tempe. The Arizona Historical Society and nonprofit Marked By COVID are coordinating the event. The outdoor memorial will include a display of photos of people killed by the virus, a COVID-19 memorial quilt and remarks from people in the public health field. Embry Health will offer free COVID-19 testing on site. Arizona has seen 27,708 deaths from the virus. As the pandemic enters a third year, the death toll globally has surpassed 6 million.