Colorado Coronavirus Update: 3,312 New Cases Reported

Between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday afternoon, 3,312 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in Colorado, according to public health data.

As of Wednesday, 241,172 people had been infected with the coronavirus in the state among 1,779,383 people who have been tested since the outbreak began, health officials confirmed. Around 14,363 people have been hospitalized, and the death toll has reached 2,708.

Around half of the state's critical care ventilators were in use as of Wednesday, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

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As of Wednesday, 32 percent of Colorado hospitals reported anticipating staff shortages over the next week. Around 13 percent of hospitals reported anticipating ICU bed shortages in the next week.

Despite testing positive for the coronavirus, Gov. Jared Polis was able to host a remote news conference with Dr. Anthony Fauci Tuesday.

"Coloradans, I need you to hear this message: your choices could help save a life — and that life could be someone you love or even your own," Polis said.

"Wear a mask, stay six feet from others and avoid gathering outside of your household because hope is on horizon. But first, we have to make it through these next very challenging few weeks where we all need to double down on what we know works.”

Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the country could see "surge upon surge" of cases throughout December as temperatures drop and many people celebrate the holiday season indoors.

“Instead of thinking in terms of the Thanksgiving holiday and then the Christmas holiday as two separate events, I think we are going to be looking at 30 or more days of a period of time of precarious risk,” Fauci said.

Fauci said he predicts that the "average Coloradan" — those who aren't at risk, can expect to be vaccinated by April; however, at-risk Coloradans can expect to be vaccinated as early as December.

“This is a testimony to the exquisite and extraordinary scientific advances that have taken place over many years...it’s quiet, meticulous science that allows you to get a vaccine that is 94-95 percent effective from the time the virus was recognized in January 2020 to putting it in a person’s arm in December 2020.”

Fauci also had a special message for Colorado's front-line workers.

“You really are heroes and thank you very much for what you’re doing.”