Vice President Mike Pence visits Phoenix for coronavirus talks with Gov. Doug Ducey

PHOENIX — Vice President Mike Pence visited Arizona Wednesday to join Gov. Doug Ducey in discussing the dramatic increase of coronavirus across our state and efforts to fight the spread.

Pence's visit came on the same day that Arizona recorded a daily record-high number of coronavirus cases.

The vice president landed in Phoenix and met with the governor after deplaning, and both were wearing masks at the time.

The visit to our state was originally planned to take place on Tuesdaywith a campaign event in Tucson, but was postponed by the Trump campaign, "out of an abundance of caution."

Dr. Deborah Birx, a leader of the White House coronavirus task force alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, also visited Arizona this week to discuss the pandemic with Gov. Ducey and state health officials.

Following his meeting with the governor, the vice president held a news conference and addressed the people of Arizona, saying, “we’re with you and we’re going to make sure Arizona has whatever it takes to meet this moment, to slow this spread, to flatten the curve, to save lives. That’s our commitment to each and every one of you.”

Pence said he talked with Admiral John Polowczyk, who is in charge of all PPE supplies and the construction of ventilators, and said hospital capacity in Arizona remains strong with supplies of equipment.

This week, 62 medical personnel were sent to Tucson, said Pence, and during Wednesday's meeting the governor requested another 500 personnel.

"I've instructed the acting secretary of homeland security to move out immediately to provide additional doctors, nurses and technical personnel," Pence said in reference to Gov. Ducey's request.

Before he departed from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Pence gave a message to healthcare workers in Arizona, saying, "Help is on the way and we’re going to spare no expense to provide the kind of reinforcements that you will need across the state, should this pandemic continue to spread."

He finished by saying he and President Trump "fully support Governor Ducey" and state health officials in what they are implementing across the state of Arizona to slow the spread.