Coronavirus In Colorado: What To Know Monday, April 6

As of Sunday afternoon, the new coronavirus death toll in Colorado had reached 140, and 924 people were hospitalized, according to the latest government data. More than 4,950 cases have been confirmed in our state, but Gov. Jared Polis said he believes there are "hundreds, if not thousands" of cases that haven't been confirmed.

In a news conference Friday afternoon, Polis asked all Coloradans to wear face masks whenever they leave the house. Several hours after the news conference, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the recommendation for everyone in the country.

Other recent developments in Colorado and around the United States:

• By Sunday night, more than 337,000 people in the United States were infected by the virus and more than 9,600 were dead, according to Johns Hopkins University. Around 15,000 have recovered.

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• Federal health officials warn that the pandemic is about to get much worse over the next couple weeks. On Sunday, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said, "This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it's not going to be localized ... It's going to be happening all over the country. And I want Americans to understand that as hard as this week is going to be, there is a light at the end of the tunnel."
• In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Northern Command, which oversees military operations in North America, is sending 1,000 Air Force and Navy medicinal providers to New York City area. The influx in medical personnel on Monday comes at the end of a five-day period where the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in New York City skyrocketed by roughly 20,000, city data shows.
• In a sick twist of irony, the zip code covering Corona, Queens, has the most confirmed cases — 1,337 — of anywhere in the city.
• Polis is among many leaders around the country that are urging people to wear masks; however, Laredo, Texas, passed an emergency mandate that orders every resident over the age of five to wear "some form of covering over their nose and mouth," when using public transportation, taxis, ride share, gas stations or when inside a building open to the public. The penalty for failure to do so is punishable by a fine up to $1,000.
• The mandatory closure of Colorado schools will be extended until April 30, Polis announced Wednesday. The order was previously slated to end April 17. The announcement extends most local school districts' closures by about two weeks. More than a dozen school metro Denver school districts announced Friday they're canceling in-person classes for the rest of the school year.
• Colorado lost its first law enforcement officer to COVID-19, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday. Deputy Jeff Hopkins was only 41 years old.
• The U.S. Congress passed a $2 trillion economic stimulus package — the CARES Act — which includes resources to help Colorado's small businesses amid the spread of the new coronavirus. One of the resources, the Paycheck Protection Program, allocates $349 billion in forgivable loans to help small businesses, independent contractors, and nonprofits meet payroll and rent needs. Business owners began applying for the loans Friday.
• In the next three weeks, most Americans are expected to start receiving payments that are part of a nearly $2 trillion economic stimulus package approved by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump. Most won't need to do anything to receive the payments. But just in case, here's a checklist of questions you may not have thought of and others you may already be asking.
• A pharmaceutical company in Colorado has developed a rapid test for the new coronavirus, and the first 100,000 kits have been completed, the company said. The Denver Police Department has bought the first 2,750 test kits.
• Colorado Shakespeare Festival is postponing its 2020 season, camps and educational programs amid the coronavirus pandemic, organizers announced Friday.
• Colorado's stay-at-home order is "buying time" for the state to gather the necessary hospital beds and medical supplies, Polis said. Hospitals in Colorado are still lacking millions of surgical masks, face shields, gowns, gloves and coveralls. Our state is securing many essential supplies from countries such as China, where suppliers are rapidly creating millions of much-needed protective equipment products, Polis said.
• To avoid overcapacity in hospitals, the state has developed a four-tier system to classify patients by their stage of sickness, and provide them will the best-suited facility, so that critical care will always be available for critical patients. The state plans to increase ICU beds from 1,800 to 5,000 by April 18.

Coronavirus Live Colorado Updates

Related:

• List Of Store Closures Amid Coronavirus Outbreak In Colorado
• Colorado Coronavirus: 'Essential' Businesses, Services List
• CO Secretary Of State Announces Support Resources For Businesses
• Face Masks And Coronavirus: 5 Things To Know
• MAP: Colorado Students Can Get School Lunches At These Locations During Coronavirus Shutdown