COVID-19 outbreaks reported at Loveland church, Fort Collins metal fabrication plant
A Loveland church and Fort Collins manufacturer were among the largest of 15 new COVID-19 outbreaks reported by the Colorado and Larimer County health departments.
The new outbreaks brought Larimer County to 73 active outbreaks, up from 64 last week. A few larger outbreaks shifted to "resolved" status in the past week, including the outbreak at Fort Collins' Center at Rock Creek skilled nursing facility and Loveland's Green House Homes at Mirasol skilled nursing facility.
COVID-19 cases at a facility are considered an outbreak once at least two cases are confirmed within a 14-day period.
The largest newly reported outbreak this week is at Lifespring Covenant Church, 743 S. Dotsero Drive, Loveland. It reported 20 positive cases of COVID-19, including lead pastor Scott Slayback. The state confirmed the outbreak Feb. 22.
"It's just super tragic," Slayback said.
The church closed its office for two days and canceled in-person Sunday services last week and this week. It expects to open its doors again for March 7 worship.
Of the 20 people who tested positive, four were staff and 16 were people who attended services on Feb. 14 or Ash Wednesday services three days later, said Slayback, who finished his quarantine Wednesday.
The sanctuary seats 450, but due to the recent cold snap, only about 65 attended the Feb. 14 service and about 45 attended Ash Wednesday services, he said.
More:Larimer County and Colorado COVID-19 case, vaccine and hospital data for February 2021
Slayback said it was a perfect storm of people showing up who were presymptomatic and didn't think they were sick; cold weather; and two services in a week because of Ash Wednesday.
"We don't really know how it got in," Slayback said. "It's all guesswork, but there probably were three to four people who showed up on Feb. 14 or Feb. 17 who were probably presymptomatic or barely symptomatic with a little sniffle or something."
Among those who tested positive was a family of four that was in church Ash Wednesday. Slayback said he had mild symptoms no worse than a cold.
The church has been diligent about requiring masks and social distancing at services, Slayback said. They also provide hand sanitizer and don't pass a collection plate.
"We have done everything to try to keep the most vulnerable among us safe," he said.
The other larger new outbreak reported this week is at Colorado Metal Manufacturing, 903 Buckingham St. in Fort Collins. The metal fabrication plant reported nine cases among workers.
Owner Greg Danson said most have recovered, but a couple are still finishing their quarantines and will return to work Monday. The state confirmed the outbreak on Feb. 16.
More:Track COVID in Fort Collins schools: Poudre School District has reported 888 cases since fall
"It's just one of those things," Danson said. "We are an essential business and have run for 14 months through all this. Now we have one little issue and the state and media want to waste our time."
Danson confirmed the nine positive cases but took issue with the accuracy of the tests that showed positive results for one worker who tested negative the next day.
"These tests seem to be highly inaccurate when you can go one day and be positive and the next day negative."
Colorado Metal Manufacturing shares a building with Colorado Iron and Metal. Between the two, the building houses between 40 and 45 workers, Danson said
Other newly reported outbreaks this week included fewer than five cases each. Locations included Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Lake Loveland Dermatology, Pinnacle Consulting, Colorado Microcircuits, Winona Elementary School, Harmony Skin and Wellness, Good Samaritan Society's Fort Collins Village, a Jimmy John's, Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, Summit Plant Laboratories, Aslan Construction, Berthoud Elementary School and Lazy Dog restaurant.
Existing outbreaks in Larimer County didn't see much significant growth since last week, aside from the outbreak at Larimer County Community Corrections, which grew to 24 cases this week from 11 last week, according to the state data.
Cases at Colorado State University also surpassed 2,000 for the first time in the data this week, reaching 2,015 confirmed cases. Cumulative cases associated with CSU sat at 1,914 last week. CSU confirmed close to 150 new cases between Feb. 17 and Feb. 24, but there is often a lag between test results and outbreak data.
The county warned this week that wastewater in the campus area is showing a spike in the COVID-19 infection rate, including more-contagious variants, that will likely manifest in confirmed cases in the coming days.
Active COVID-19 outbreaks in Larimer County
Note: Asterisks indicate outbreaks newly reported since Feb. 11. Bold entries indicate outbreaks with 10 or more confirmed and probable cases, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Absolute Graphics, Fort Collins
Anheuser Busch Brewery, Fort Collins
*Aslan Construction, Berthoud
Bauder Elementary School, Fort Collins
*Berthoud Elementary School
Blevins Middle School, Fort Collins
Blue Spruce Temporary Shelter, Fort Collins
Broadcom Inc., Fort Collins
Brookdale Mariana Butte assisted living, Loveland
Campion Academy, Loveland
Canyon Bakehouse (food manufacturing and packaging facility), Johnstown
Carter Lake Water Plant, Loveland
CDS Engineering, Loveland
Centre Avenue Health and Rehab, Fort Collins
Cheba Hut, Fort Collins (925 S. Taft Hill Road)
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Loveland (1421 W. Eisenhower Blvd.)
*Colorado Metal Manufacturing/Colorado Iron and Metal, Fort Collins
*Colorado Microcircuits, Loveland
Colorado State University
Corporate Plumbing Inc., Fort Collins
Courtyard of Loveland Assisted Living
*Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Loveland (1117 E. Eisenhower Blvd.)
Estes Park High School
Fort Collins High School wrestling invitational
Fort Collins High School
Fort Collins Police Services
Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Collins
Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists, Loveland (February 2021)
Front Range Community College Security Department
Golden Peaks Center skilled nursing facility, Fort Collins
*Good Samaritan Society - Fort Collins Village senior living
*Harmony Skin and Wellness, Fort Collins
I-Kota Construction - Mason Place job site, Fort Collins
*Jimmy John's, Fort Collins (2337 S. Shields St.)
JMP Heat Inc., Loveland
Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School, Fort Collins
*Lake Loveland Dermatology (Ideal Dermatology), Loveland
Larimer County Community Corrections
Larimer County Jail
*Lazy Dog restaurant, Johnstown
Liberty Common Charter School (high school campus), Fort Collins
Liberty Common Elementary School, Fort Collins
*Lifespring Covenant Church, Loveland
Loveland Dance Academy
Markley Motors, Fort Collins
MorningStar Assisted Living of Fort Collins
Nutrien Ag Solutions, Loveland
Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies, Fort Collins
Panhandler's Pizza, Fort Collins
Parkwood Estates independent living, Fort Collins
Phoenix Home Care and Hospice, Loveland
*Pinnacle Consulting Group, Loveland
Q3 Contracting Inc., Fort Collins
Ravencrest Bible School, Estes Park
Resurrection Christian School, Loveland
*Rio Grande Mexican restaurant, Fort Collins
RMT Overland, Fort Collins
Rocky Mountain High School, Fort Collins
Sam's Club, Fort Collins
Sam's Club, Loveland
Scheels, Johnstown
Spring Creek Healthcare Center, Fort Collins
*Summit Plant Laboratories, Fort Collins
The Barrel beer garden, Estes Park
The Doughnut Club, Fort Collins
The Home Depot, Fort Collins (4502 John F Kennedy Parkway)
The Home Depot, Loveland (1100 Nickel Drive)
The Home Depot, Fort Collins (1251 E. Magnolia St.)
The Wild Rose Food & Spirits, Estes Park
Trader Joe's, Fort Collins
Walmart, Loveland (250 W. 65th St.)
Walmart, Fort Collins (1250 E. Magnolia St.)
Walmart Distribution Center, Loveland
Werner Elementary School, Fort Collins
*Winona Elementary School, Loveland
Pat Ferrier is a senior reporter covering business, health care and growth issues in Northern Colorado. Jacy Marmaduke is a reporter covering government. Please support their work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a subscription today.