Colorado health officials announced Tuesday that a second person in the state has died of the novel coronavirus, while nearly two dozen additional positive cases show the outbreak continues to spread to all corners of the state.
Meanwhile, a long-term health care facility in Loveland reported a resident in her 90s and a staffer in her 20s tested positive for the COVID-19 virus — the respiratory illness caused by the new virus, which is far more dangerous to older populations — as health officials work to contain the spread of the illness in a building full of at-risk adults over 60.
The virus has also affected U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, who said he was self-quarantining after coming into contact with a constituent who later tested positive for the illness. The Republican from Yuma said he’s not showing any symptoms but wanted to be cautious.
State health officials announced 23 new confirmed cases Tuesday, pushing to 183 the total number of positive test results in Colorado. Twenty people are hospitalized, state data shows, and mountain communities continue to see the most serious community spread of the virus.
The data is presented on a new state website launched Tuesday: covid19.colorado.gov.
The 183 cases span 19 counties, with the highest per-capita rates in Eagle, Pitkin and Gunnison counties. Health officials said on a conference call with reporters that they hope to conduct more tests in places such as the Western Slope, where there has been little data on the virus’ spread.
The man who died was a Weld County resident in his 70s, local health officials said. It’s the second death related to the highly contagious illness, following an El Paso County woman in her 80s who died Friday. Public health officials said that woman played bridge earlier this month with dozens of other people who could now be at risk.
The Larimer County cases came from a facility with 95 residents and 200 staff. The staff member who tested positive worked in the same wing where the patient was infected, said Joel Bitler, director of clinical services for Columbine Health Services, owner of the facility. That area of the facility has now become the defacto “COVID wing,” where the older patient is in isolation. The staff member is in isolation at her home in Weld County.
At least six other residents of North Shore Health & Rehab Facility tested negative for COVID-19, the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment said. Nine additional tests are pending.
“We’re waiting on the edge of our seat to take further action or breathe a sigh of relief,” Bitler said.
Due to the high-risk nature of the facility’s residents, the Larimer County health department said it is working with epidemiologists and infection specialists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to provide on-site support and assistance in investigating any potential spread of the virus and prevent infections.
State officials are attempting to test as many people as possible, but there is still criteria for those who wish to get one. Nearly 1,800 people have been tested thus far, state data shows.
“Obviously there are limitations, limitations in supplies available,” Dr. Rachel Herlihy, a state epidemiologist, said on a Tuesday afternoon conference call with reporters. “We are working to have more testing available.”
The state lab doesn’t have the equipment and staff to conduct the volume of testing that can be done at a commercial lab, Herlihy said, so the state is partnering with those labs to increase production.
After an initial burst of drive-thru testing capabilities in Denver — which was touted by Gov. Jared Polis on CNN last week — the city has not been able to provide the mobile tests thus far this week and it remains to be seen when that might restart. The state health department, assisted by the National Guard, did open a drive-up testing site near Telluride on Tuesday — but it could only serve about 100 pre-selected, high-risk patients. A second drive-up testing location is planned for Routt County, but it’s unclear when that might open.
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