More than 1,325,000 people in Colorado have tested positive for COVID-19 and more than 60,200 have been hospitalized as of Sunday, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Click here for the latest update on the number of cases, the age, gender and location of presumptive positive, indeterminate and confirmed cases from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Below, we're updating this blog with the latest information regarding COVID-19 in Colorado.
Latest updates:
Friday, March 18
3:37 p.m. | No coronavirus data from the state Friday
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) says it will not be publishing its daily COVID-19 data on Friday due to data system issues.
"The data team is working on a solution to update the data as soon as possible. Vaccination data are unaffected and will update as usual."
View available data here.
2:46 p.m. | CDPHE publishes school district and school level COVID-19 vaccination data
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has introduced a new school COVID-19 vaccination dashboard, which displays COVID-19 vaccination rates for kids in Kindergarten through 12th grade at school district and school levels. The data does not provide any personally identifiable information.
Though the COVID-19 vaccine is not a school-required vaccine in Colorado, the CDPHE said Friday it created the dashboard "to help parents/guardians/caregivers, educators, and school staff make informed decisions about other potential mitigation practices they may want to consider for their children and/or themselves, including continued indoor masking and physical distancing" when it comes to their school or school district. "This is especially important for parents of children with weakened immune systems and educators/school staff with immunocompromising conditions who have daily contact with students."
CDPHE officials say the data will be updated on a weekly basis.
Once a COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for children younger than 5, CDPHE will also update the dashboard to include COVID-19 vaccination rates for pre-kindergarten-age kids, they said.
The school COVID-19 vaccination dashboard shows approximately 42% of Colorado students are fully vaccinated and only nearly 7% have received a booster shot.
11:44 a.m. | BA.2 sublineage of omicron COVID-19 variant detected in Denver wastewater, human specimens
The BA.2 omicron sublineage is now in Denver, city health officials said Friday.
The sublineage of the omicron COVID-19 variant was detected in wastewater and human specimen samples, Denver Department of Public Health and Environment officials said in a news release, adding that "based on current data and projections ... the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) is not concerned about a surge in cases as seen with previous COVID-19 variants."
They also noted that CDC trends, "indicate there likely won’t be a surge in cases as seen with the previous variant because of environmental factors, low overall transmission and community behavior. While there may be increases in the percentage of cases identified as the BA.2 variant, DDPHE anticipates low transmission as a result of both increased vaccination rates and natural immunity from recent infections from the Omicron variant."
The latest data from the CDC shows that BA.2 now makes up nearly a quarter of all U.S. infections as of March 12. Two weeks prior, the percentage of cases due to the BA.2 sublineage amounted to just about 8%, showing the sublineage is doubling in prevalence each week.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, told ABC News that given the growing prevalence of BA.2, he expects cases will increase within the next month as early studies from the U.K. and Denmark show it's 30% more transmissible than the original omicron strain, BA.1.
Despite these figures, DDPHE officials said they would continue to monitor BA.2 variant trends.
As of March 16, Denver's weekly average positivity rate was 1.81%; the weekly cumulative incidence rate was 30 cases per 100,000 people.
Thursday, March 17
4 p.m. | Latest coronavirus data
Here's the latest COVID-19 data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
1,330,851 cases (+1,506)
61,076 hospitalized (+66)
64 counties (+0)
4,793,611 people tested (+1,897)
16,900,374 test encounters (+17,141)
11,887 deaths among cases (+15)
12,818 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
8,473 outbreaks (+16)
The latest hospital data show 151 beds in use by patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19. The state is no longer reporting hospitalized cases that are under investigation and will only report confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations once a week, on Wednesdays. Colorado’s seven-day average positivity rate was 2.64%. The state’s goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Thursday, 4,434,763 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Colorado and 3,977,204 have been fully vaccinated.
Wednesday, March 16
4:06 p.m. | Latest coronavirus data
Here's the latest COVID-19 data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Hospitalization numbers will be updated once a week beginning March 16.
1,329,345 cases (+1,660)
61,010 hospitalized (+7)
64 counties (+0)
4,795,508 people tested (+2,197)
16,900,374 test encounters (+17,151)
11,872 deaths among cases (+2)
12,818 deaths due to COVID-19 (+13)
8,457 outbreaks (+9)
The latest hospital data show 151 beds in use by patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19. The state is no longer reporting on unconfirmed hospitalized cases and will only report confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations once a week, on Wednesdays. Colorado’s seven-day average positivity rate was 2.73%. The state’s goal is to remain below 5%.
AAs of Thursday 4,433,838 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Colorado and 3,976,285 have been fully vaccinated.
9:20 a.m. | CDPHE moves to weekly reporting of COVID-19 related hospitalizations
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) announced it is moving away from daily COVID-19 hospital reporting to only once a week, on Wednesdays.
State health officials said the change in reporting is due a change in "cadence of COVID-19 hospital reporting requirements from daily to twice weekly."
CDPHE officials say the change will affect most metrics on the hospital data tab, as daily data points will transition to weekly data points, including hospitalizations, vaccination status, and bed availability.
Tuesday, March 15
4 p.m. | Latest coronavirus data
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 are the lowest they've been since Sept. 22, 2020, according to the latest COVID-19 data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
1,327,685 cases (+1,294)
61,003 hospitalized (+31)
64 counties (+0)
4,791,662 people tested (+1,707)
16,867,228 test encounters (+16,270)
11,870 deaths among cases (+10)
12,805 deaths due to COVID-19 (+98)
8,448 outbreaks (+2)
The latest hospital data show 226 beds in use by patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, 12 fewer than Monday. Colorado’s seven-day average positivity rate was 2.86%. The state’s goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Tuesday, 4,432,895 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Colorado and 3,975,329 have been fully vaccinated.
10:20 a.m. | Colorado’s COVID-19 community vaccination sites are going away at the end of March
Colorado’s COVID-19 community vaccination sites will be dismantled at the end of March as part of the state’s plan to live with the virus, health officials announced Tuesday.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) officials said in a news release the transition from community vaccination sites to traditional health care settings would be phased out, with equity in COVID-19 vaccination remaining a top priority through mobile vaccine buses which will run through at least June 30, as the state continues to implement its four-step roadmap to moving away from the emergency phase of the pandemic.
State health officials said Colorado is prepared to reestablish not only community vaccination sites, but community testing and therapeutic treatment clinics within four-to-five weeks, should it become necessary to do so.
Other vaccine-related resources and programs that address health disparities and offer free and low-cost vaccinations and health screenings, such as community-based pop-up vaccination clinics, will continue to operate, health officials said.
To date, nearly 4 million Coloradans are now fully vaccinated, which amounts to more than 73% of the eligible population. Just under 53% of Coloradans ages 12 and up are boosted, with people under the age of 30 staying behind on their booster doses. People of color across Colorado remain undervaccinated, according to the state's COVID-19 vaccine data.
9:04 a.m. | Rep. Neguse tests positive for COVID-19
U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse confirmed on Twitter Tuesday he tested positive for COVID-19.
Neguse said he was only experiencing mild symptoms and credited being vaccinated and boosted.
He said he would be working remotely.
Quick update on the health front — I’ve tested positive for COVID. Grateful to be experiencing only mild symptoms thanks to the vaccine & booster.
— Rep. Joe Neguse (@RepJoeNeguse) March 15, 2022
Will be working remotely — for all the Rules Committee nerds, remember we’ve got a hearing at 2 pm (tune in!)
Also, get vaccinated!
Monday, March 14
4 p.m. | Latest coronavirus data
Here's the latest COVID-19 data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, with a backlog of 775 hospitalizations the CDPHE announced last week included in this week's count. A reminder that today's state data is an aggregate from the weekend as well as Monday's.
1,326,391 cases (+1,328)
60,972 hospitalized (+755)
64 counties (+0)
4,789,955 people tested (+4,266)
16,850,958 test encounters (+34,262)
11,860 deaths among cases (+21)
12,707 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
8,446 outbreaks (+10)
The latest hospital data show 238 beds in use by patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, 1 more than Sunday. Colorado’s seven-day average positivity rate was 2.93%. The state’s goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Tuesdayy, 4,431,714 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Colorado and 3,974,235 have been fully vaccinated.
10:47 a.m. | After closing 2 years ago due to the pandemic, the Coors Brewing Tour is back
The Coors Brewery Tour in Golden will officially reopen on Friday after remaining closed for about two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 90-minute tours of the facility are available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting at 10 a.m. The last tours of each day will leave at 3:30 p.m.
On Monday, Molson Coors Guest Relations Manager Michelle Aldava said with the tours ready to reopen, the new and enhanced experience highlights both the facility and its recent upgrades, as well as the company's history.
The brewery has upgraded the tour format to enrich the experience for visitors. According to the company, this includes "a new lounge, personal tour guides, free samples throughout the tour, including a final product sample at the end, and complimentary branded aluminum cups for guests." Guests who intend on drinking the samples must have their ID with them.
Reservations, which are required, can be made online. Fees start at $20. Proof of a COVID-19 vaccination for guests over the age 6 is required. Group sizes are limited. The parking lot is located at 13th and Ford Street in Golden.
8 a.m. | Colorado Symphony, Opera, Ballet and DCPA to lift vaccine, mask requirements at the end of the month
Theater goers in Denver will no longer be required to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or wear a mask inside the four resident companies that perform at the downtown Arts Complex by the end of the month.
Starting this Monday, people attending events at the Colorado Symphony and Opera Colorado will no longer be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test at the door, or be required to wear a mask during indoor, public performances. The Colorado Ballet will lift these requirements on March 22, followed by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts on March 28.
DCPA officials say the decision to lift these requirements, which have been in place since Oct. 1, 2021, was made “in response to low positivity levels and with guidance from local, state and federal officials.”
The DCPA will continue to monitor the trajectory of the virus in partnership with the CDC, state and local health departments and will adjust as necessary, they said.
The DCPA warned – just like Ball Arena did last week when it, too, lifted its vaccine and mask requirements – that individual touring productions may have their own health and safety requirements, so Denverites are encouraged to check safety requirements before heading out the door.
Though masks remain optional, the DCPA asks for guests to respect others who choose to continue wearing a mask in indoor public settings.
Click here for the COVID-19 live blog for March 7-March 13, 2022.
