Coronavirus Update In Colorado: 1 Death, 72 Cases

Colorado's first death from the new coronavirus has been confirmed. A woman in her 80s from El Paso County died Friday, health officials said. There are now 77 presumptive positive cases of the new coronavirus in Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday morning. Of the cases, eight people were hospitalized. Colorado's mountain communities — particularly those in Pitkin and Eagle counties — are "hotspots," Polis said.

Ski resorts have all been instructed to ensure social distancing — each group of people will be separated in closed gondolas, Polis said. Families and groups of friends can ride together, but not with those they don't know.

All cases are considered "presumptive" until they are confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Around 90 percent of people tested in Colorado turned out to have a cold or the flu, health officials said.

Polis said one of his top concerns is having enough hospital beds, medical personnel and facilities in the event of a surge in patients.

"There are likely hundreds if not thousands of cases in Colorado that have not been tested or whose tests are pending," Polis said at a news conference Friday.

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The state has asked recently-retired nurses and doctors to contact their employers to consider temporarily entering the workforce in the event of a surge of patients, Polis said. The state has also reached out to medical students to prepare them for a possible surge.

The private sector has also been encouraged to ramp up testing.

More than 80 percent of the cases in Colorado are mild, Polis said. The remaining 20 percent is mostly people in their 70s and 80s in the state — the "people we are most worried about," he said.

"There is a very low incidence among the young, but people in their 70s and 80s are very vulnerable," Polis said.

Colorado is a "leader in testing," Polis said. Our state has administered tests at a far higher rate than the rest of the country, he said.

"We are going to get through this together, and we are going to come out stronger," he said.

The national guard has been activated, and more than a dozen medics will be sent to operate testing sites in the state and train others to set up testing sites, Polis said.

As of Friday morning, around 600 people had been tested in Colorado.

Presumptive positive cases by county:

• Adams: 3
• Arapahoe County: 7
• Denver County: 15
• Douglas County: 4
• Eagle County: 14
• El Paso County: 2
• Gunnison County: 4
• Jefferson County: 7
• Larimer County: 1
• Pitkin County: 1
• Pueblo: 1
• Summit County: 2
• Weld: 2
• Out of state visitors - 14 (Currently located in these counties:)

Pitkin - 9
Eagle - 2
Routt - 1
Waiting on information - 2

Denver's first drive-up testing lab opened Wednesday; however, it was canceled Friday due to snowy weather. The safety of testing personnel has to be put first, Polis said.

"Their protective gear is not rated for precipitation," he said.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock declared a state of emergency Thursday. The declaration order will make additional emergency resources available to assist the city in combating the spread of COVID-19.

Many school districts in Colorado have temporarily closed, and universities across Colorado are moving their classes online. All campuses will remain open, but universities are encouraging employees to work remotely whenever possible.

Polis declared a state of emergency Tuesday and announced the state's plan for combating the virus.

Testing criteria for the new coronavirus has been expanded and updated in Colorado. Public health officials are continuing to adjust policies to the specific needs in Colorado.

The Regional Transportation District has issued a list of measures it's taking to make its trains and buses as clean as possible.

A City and County of Denver employee at Denver International Airport received a presumptive positive test for COVID-19 at the state laboratory, the city announced Wednesday. The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment is working with other public health agencies to trace all contacts the employee may have had, and identifying people who may have been exposed, officials said.

An employee at the University of Colorado Boulder has also tested presumptive positive, officials announced in a campus alert Thursday evening. The university is working with Boulder County Public Health to investigate the case.

The Colorado Department of Public Health has issued the following tips for protection against the new coronavirus:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home when you are sick, and keep your children at home when they are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Other information on COVID-19:

• Colorado's First Drive-Up Coronavirus Testing Center Opens
• Coronavirus Testing Criteria Updated, Expanded In Colorado
• Colorado Colleges Hold Classes Remotely Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
• Americans Over 60 Should Hunker Down To Avoid Coronavirus: CDC
• Coronavirus And The Prospect Of Working From Home: Helpful Tips
• Coronavirus: Tips To Prepare Your Home