On Wednesday Governor Doug Ducey announced Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ will leave her position on August 27 for another leadership role as chief medical officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.
Christ has led the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) as director since May 2015 after serving as chief medical officer, licensing director and deputy director of public health for the department since 2008. She will be the longest-serving director in the history of the department as of August 13, before her departure from the position.
Christ, an Infectious Disease Epidemiologist, earned a Bachelor and Master of Science in Microbiology from Arizona State University. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson.
“When Cara Christ became a doctor, she did it to help others and save lives. That’s exactly what she’s done,” said Ducey. “She dedicated countless hours to protecting millions of Arizonans from the COVID-19 pandemic — and she’s done it with grace, stability and confidence. She implemented effective statewide testing and internationally-recognized mass vaccination sites, established the national model Arizona SurgeLine, worked hard to increase vaccinations for communities in need, and so much more.”
“Before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, my number one priority has been protecting the health of Arizonans all across our state,” said Dr. Christ. “When the pandemic hit, the entire state came together to contain the spread and protect one another — and I’m grateful to everyone who worked with our team at the Arizona Department of Health Services to protect fellow Arizonans. It has been an honor to lead ADHS and work to keep Arizonans of all ages, backgrounds and unique needs healthy and safe. I’m so proud to have been a part of this administration, and I thank Governor Ducey for entrusting me with responsibility for public health in Arizona and for working with me closely in the state’s response to COVID-19.”
On Wednesday, the Arizona Department of Health Services announced that some Arizona marijuana establishments and dispensaries are initiating a voluntary recall of specific marijuana products due to possible contamination with Salmonella or Aspergillus.
Brand Name
Product Name
Batch Number
Product Type
Implicated Contaminant
Harvest Platinum
14g Pre Pack Indica Flower (Glazed Apricot Gelato)
CVGH210406HB
Plant, Trim
Salmonella
Harvest Platinum
14g Pre Pack Sativa Flower (Tiger Haze)
CVGH210406HM (L)
Plant, Trim
Aspergillus
Modern Flower
3.5g Pre Pack Indica Flower (Orange Acai)
CVGH2104210HI
Plant, Flower – Cured, Greenhouse
Aspergillus sp.
Sol Flower Dispensaries and Establishments
Tahiti Lime
0121TILM.33.WT
Plant, Flower – Cured
Aspergillus sp.
EHF (Elephant Head Farms)
HAT Trick #17 Flower
030821F1H12
Plant, Flower – Cured
Salmonella
Mohave Cannabis
Preroll
LAB #454 PR
Plant, Preroll, Indoor
Salmonella
Tru Infusion Flower
Caked Up Cherries
0326R12CUC
Plant, Flower – Cured indoor
Aspergillus sp.
The Pharm
Chemistry #1 (HD 3/24/21)
Chemistry #1 1 B15B.R1-10
Plant, Flower – Cured, Greenhouse
Aspergillus sp.
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is advising purchasers to dispose of the products described in the table above, which were found in laboratory tests to be positive for Salmonella or Aspergillus.
To date, no illnesses have been reported. This announcement is being made out of an abundance of caution. Patients who have purchased potentially contaminated products should not ingest, inhale, or otherwise consume them and should dispose of them. If you have already consumed any of the products and have any of the symptoms described below, please contact your healthcare provider or seek emergency care in the event of an emergency.
The ADHS laboratory auditors determined during routine inspection of an independent third-party laboratory that marijuana samples that tested positive for Salmonella were reported to dispensaries and marijuana establishments as free of contaminants. In addition, marijuana samples that tested positive for Aspergillus were reported to dispensaries and marijuana establishments as free of contaminants.
Once ADHS discovered the positive test results, the establishments involved were notified and took immediate action to work with all distribution and retail partners to remove any potentially impacted products.
Salmonella: Symptoms from ingesting salmonella usually start within 6 hours–6 days after infection and last 4–7 days. Ingestion can happen inadvertently after handling Salmonella-contaminated products. Symptoms include:
Diarrhea (that can be bloody)
Fever
Stomach cramps
Some people may also have nausea, vomiting, or a headache.
Aspergillus: Aspergillus can cause allergic reactions or infection, usually in people already sick with something else. Symptoms range from asthma or cold like symptoms to fever and chest pain among many others. A full list of symptoms can be found on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website: https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/aspergillosis/symptoms.html
