Colorado Coronavirus Update: 3,997 New Cases Reported

Over the past week, 3,997 new cases of the coronavirus have been reported in Colorado, according to public health data.

The surge of new cases has been linked to the University of Colorado Boulder and other colleges in our state. Boulder County Public Health issued an order Sept. 24 that requires everyone between the ages of 18 to 22 to halt gatherings, and so far, the order appears to be working — CU Boulder's spike in cases has 'flattened,' health officials confirmed. Boulder County has, however, seen an uptick in cases among all ages.

As of Sunday, 73,076 people had been infected with the coronavirus in the state among 950,759 people who have been tested since the outbreak began, health officials confirmed. Around 7,673 people have been hospitalized, and the death toll has reached 1,968.

Cameron Peak and Mullen wildfire smoke is flowing into many Colorado regions, and pollution sensitivity can mimic coronavirus symptoms, Gov. Jared Polis said in a news conference Friday.

"There are a lot of folks who might have symptoms and think it's the fires — it's the air, and in many cases they might be right, but you need to know, because the initial symptoms are similar — shortness of breath, cough, difficulty breathing," Polis said.

"All of those issues that are often associated with the historically poor air quality often are those early symptoms of coronavirus, and it's important to get tested," the governor said.

Compared to other states, Colorado has the 11th lowest COVID-19 rate in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our state has 1,262 cases per 100,000 people.

Here's a breakdown of cases and deaths in each county:

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