docs: def update_status(self, new_status=None):
          """Updates the zone status."""
          _LOGGER.debug("update_status: Zone %s", self.zone_id)
  
          if self.status and new_status is None:
              _LOGGER.debug("Zone: healthy.")
          else:
              old_status = self.status or {}
  
              if new_status:
                  # merge new_status with existing for comparison
                  _LOGGER.debug("Set status: provided")
  
                  # make a copy of the old_status
                  status = old_status.copy()
  
                  # merge updated items into status
                  status.update(new_status)
  
                  # promote merged_status to new_status
                  new_status = status
              else:
                  _LOGGER.debug("Set status: own")
                  new_status = self.get_status()
  
              _LOGGER.debug("old_status: %s", old_status)
              _LOGGER.debug("new_status: %s", new_status)
              _LOGGER.debug("is_equal: %s", old_status == new_status)
  
              if new_status != old_status:
                  self.handle_message(new_status)
                  self._status_sent = False
                  self.status = new_status
  
          if not self._status_sent:
              self._status_sent = self.update_hass()