Coronavirus in Colorado: COVID-19 updates for Nov. 2-Nov. 8, 2020

Nearly 110,000 people have been infected with coronavirus in Colorado since the onset of the pandemic, according to the latest data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

READ MORE: List of Colorado businesses that are open

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:

Sunday, Nov. 8

5:20 p.m. | Cherry Creek Schools remote through end of semester

The Cherry Creek School District will remain on remote learning through the rest of the semester, Superintendent Scott Siegfried said in a letter to families Tuesday.

The district transitioned to remote learning in early November amid a community increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Siegfried said Tuesday that the case incidence rate of nearly 1,000 per 100,000 people in Arapahoe County meant the district was “unable to operate schools.”

Siegfried said he hoped communicating the plans Tuesday would help teachers and students prepare for the next three weeks of school and that he was hopeful school would return to in-person classes next month.

“Since our data has consistently shown that transmission of the virus does not happen in schools in any meaningful way, we are working closely with our teachers’ association and other groups to develop a plan for returning to In-Person learning in January,” Siegfried said.

4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers

Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Sunday, with the change from Saturday in parentheses.

130,984 cases (+3,017)
10,017 hospitalized (+20)
64 counties (+0)
1,334,323 tested (+13,934)
2,245,385 test encounters (+30,597)
2,394 deaths among cases (+5)
2,168 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
1,408 outbreaks (+5)

The latest hospital data showed 1,134 beds in use by COVID-19 patients or suspected COVID-19 patients. Friday's three-day average positivity rate in Colorado was 11.33%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.

Saturday, Nov. 7

4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers

Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Saturday, with the change from Friday in parentheses.

127,967 cases (+3,498)
9,997 hospitalized (+86)
64 counties (+0)
1,320,389 tested (+17,044)
2,214,788 test encounters (+37,697)
2,389 deaths among cases (+13)
2,168 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
1,403 outbreaks (+25)

The latest hospital data showed 1,087 beds in use by COVID-19 patients or suspected COVID-19 patients. Friday's three-day average positivity rate in Colorado was 11.10%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.

Friday, Nov. 6

6:39 p.m. | Basalt Elementary School switches to remote learning

Basalt Elementary School transitioned 23 students to remote learning because of a probable positive case of COVID-19, per public health.

All students and staff who have been exposed have been contacted directly. Because the individual with a probable positive case of Covid-19 was last at school on Friday, Oct. 30, those quarantining will be able to return to school on Friday, Nov. 13.

The district said impacted teachers who are asymptomatic will continue to deliver instruction remotely for all students. The affected areas in the school will be deep cleaned and disinfected prior to the return of non-impacted students and staff.

5:38 p.m. | Adams County announces curfew to contain ‘alarming’ rise of COVID-19 cases

While Denver is encouraging people to be home by 10 p.m., Adams County is flat out telling its residents they will not be allowed to roam the streets past that hour starting Saturday night.

The Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) announced late Friday afternoon it would be implementing a curfew for all of Adams County in an effort to slow community-wide spread of the novel coronavirus. The new public health order goes into effect Nov. 7 starting at 10 p.m. and will be in effect for 30 days.

The public health order puts additional restrictions on businesses like restaurants, bars and sporting events, and any business open to the public that violates the public health order may face suspension or revocation of its license by an appropriate licensing authority, the TCHD said.

“We are at an extremely critical point in this pandemic, with much at stake, if we don’t stop the spread of this virus,” said Adams County Commissioner and Board Chair Emma Pinter. “The wellbeing of our community – our businesses, our schools, our economic vitality – lies in the hands of every single person in Adams County. We each need to follow the new guidelines closely to prevent being moved to the State’s Stay at Home Red Level, which is the next step if our numbers do not drop.”

Read the full story here.

4:54 p.m. | Colorado opening free COVID-19 testing kiosks

The state will open new COVID-19 testing kiosks across the state, a spokesperson said Friday.

The first two will open in Greeley at UNC and Denver International Airport, and "based on demand, will be strategically deployed to additional communities."

The testing kiosk at the University of Northern Colorado will be located at Nottingham Field and will be open from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, starting on November 7 at the University of Northern Colorado campus.

The testing kiosk in Greeley is a prototype and is quick, easy, and free for all students and staff, as well as the surrounding Greeley community. Walk-ups are welcome, but Coloradans can sign up ahead of time at cur.tv/unc.

The state is encouraging all Coloradans with symptoms to get tested immediately. Symptoms include: Fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.

4:37 p.m. | Douglas County High School transitions to remote learning due to COVID-19

ThunderRidge High School moved to virtual learning Friday after three people at the school tested positive for COVID-19.

The three people are in isolation and close contacts will go into quarantine. The impact from the quarantines at the school led to the decision.

School will resume on or after Nov. 16, based on cohorting schedules, for those not under quarantine.

4 p.m. | Colorado sees average of positive tests over the past week go over 10% Friday

The state reported its 7-day average positivity rate crossed the 10% mark Friday - double the state's goal of 5%, which is recommended to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and shows that the rise in cases is not simply due to more testing.

124,469 cases (+3,463)
9,911 hospitalized (+197)
64 counties (+0)
1,303,345 people tested (+16,246)
2,177,091 test encounters (+35,158)
2,376 deaths among cases (+23)
2,168 deaths due to COVID-19 (+10)
1,378 outbreaks (+28)

The latest hospital data shows 1,041 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 25 more than Thursday with 98 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 88% of state hospitals reporting. Thursday's seven-day average positivity rate in Colorado was 10.21%. The three-day average positivity rate was 11.11%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.

Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.

3:55 p.m. | Two Grand Junction Police Department employees test positive for COVID-19

Two Grand Junction Police Department employees tested positive for COVID-19, the department said Friday. Both employees are self-isolating at home and all staff members who work in close proximity with the infected employees have been notified and will be tested for COVID-19.

"This exposure does not affect our level of service at this time. We will continue to work with Mesa County Public Health to monitor the situation and make necessary changes to our operations to keep our employees and the community safe. The community will be notified of any operational changes, including fluctuating staffing, additional cases, and potential impacts to our service levels as a result of COVID-19," the department said in a news release.

2 p.m. | Boulder Valley School District to remain in-person

Boulder Valley School District said they are not changing their current mode of learning, though both Boulder and Broomfield counties have moved to a more restrictive level on the state's COVID-19 Dial.

In a letter to families, Superintendent Rob Anderson said the state is prioritizing education which allows for this decision. He said the district continues to work with public health partners to discuss whether additional health precautions would be helpful.

Anderson said BVSD is seeing far more cases reported by individuals in our schools. In these cases, outstanding teachers and staff are pulled from the classroom and are being filled with central administration staff. There are times they come up short, which can lead to temporary moves to remote learning. Anderson said they're doing everything they can to keep schools open to in-person learning.

With the move to Level Orange comes stricter guidelines for schools, including the requirement of an alternative diagnosis and a negative COVID-19 test when a student’s COVID-like symptoms do not resolve within the time frame of 24 to 48 hours.

The district is handling situations on a school-by-school basis. Anderson said they may be forced to move all students to remote learning if the trend continues.

1:37 p.m. | STRIDE Community Health Center closes testing locations Friday

As of 11:30 a.m. Friday, STRIDE Community Health Center said all of their testing locations reached capacity and are closed for the day.

1 p.m. | Aurora to open emergency winter shelter for people experiencing homelessness during COVID-19

The Aurora City Council has given preliminary approval for the emergency shelter in north Aurora.

Anyone wishing to access the shelter should first check in at the Aurora Day Resource Center. The shelter will be located at a vacant warehouse at 3293 Oakland St. It will be available nightly starting in late November to early December and remain open through April.

The facility will have capacity for 100 people in a socially distanced environment. They also have plans to allow tents and RV parking outside of the facility if an individual isn't comfortable in the indoor setting but wants access to a secure area with services.

When individuals check in at the Aurora Day Resource Center, they'll undergo a health screening for COVID-19 before being transported the shelter. They'll have food and resources available, including three meals a day at the center.

On nights with life-threatening cold temperatures, the Aurora Cold-Weather Outreach team will be activated and they can provide access to the emergency shelter as well motel vouchers from Aurora Warms the Night to accommodate up to 450 individuals in socially distanced settings. This will allow for the same number of people sheltered as in pre-COVID winters.

The shelter is being funded by federal Emergency Solutions Grant money and will cost approximately $185,000. Setup costs and supplies of about $100,000 are being covered by the Arapahoe County CARES Program.

12:45 p.m. | New Denver public health measure restricts nighttime business hours, encourages residents to be home by 10 p.m.

In the latest effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 and avoid another stay-at-home order, Denver officials announced Friday that a public health measure encouraging people to be home by 10 p.m. would go into effect in Denver for 30 days starting Sunday.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) Executive Director Bob McDonald announced the new order, called “Home by 10,” from the DDPHE at a news conference Friday morning. The measure will stay in place for 30 days from 10 p.m. through 5 a.m. It will take effect on Sunday.

“I’m not going to mince any words here when it comes to the spread of the coronavirus. We’re on a very dangerous path," Hancock said Friday.

He said the state has seen a rapid and significant increase in people becoming sick, with many ending up in the hospital. Hospitalizations increased over 40% in just the past week across the state, he said.

The implementation of “Home by 10” marks the first time Denver has had a curfew-like measure in place since early June, when city officials implemented one during the protests that followed the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Hancock said the city is not characterizing the measure as a curfew.

“This is a public health measure enforced like a public health measure and targeted to deal with the behavior that is contributing to the virus spread, namely among younger asymptomatic adults gathering outside of their homes and unknowingly infecting others," he said.

Officials said that public health department workers will be the enforcers of the measure, along with officials from the Department of Public Safety. People who violate the new order could face a fine of up to $999 or 300 days in jail.

Hancock said this new measure is less about enforcement and more about "responsible citizens and residents deciding to take it upon themselves to say, 'I've got to not only keep my family safe, I've got to keep my neighbors safe. So I must do what's necessary the next 30 days to help get Denver and this metro region back on track, to save lives.'"

"I want to say that again: This is not about enforcement," Hancock added.

McDonald echoed Hancock's statement.

"You can look at the number of compliance contacts that we've conducted since the beginning of the pandemic and only 222 citations were issued for egregious violations," McDonald said. "That's gong to be our continued approach moving throughout this — just those egregious situations, we're going to take a strong look at those and what we need to do to get them under control."

He said those 222 citations make up about 1% of all visits they conducted.

The curfew will not apply to hospitals, grocery stores and some other essential businesses but will apply to restaurants and retailers. It also does not apply to employees returning home from work, or people out exercising or walking their pets after 10 p.m.

“That is not something that we are concerned about in this order,” Hancock said. “What we’re concerned about is the public co-mingling after 10 p.m.”

"Home by 10" will also not be in effect on Thanksgiving Day, officials said.

"We're not going to sit here and tell you that Thanksgiving is canceled in Denver. It is not," Hancock said. "But I'm going to urge everyone to think differently about Thanksgiving this year."

The public health measure involves other actions as well, including:

• Prohibits spectators at high school and college athletic events
• Halts recreational athletic events
• For 30 days, will close bars that are not able to meet basic criteria around mingling and food service
• Public and private gatherings with large numbers of households together

“We need everyone working together to reverse this trend," Hancock said.

The latest move comes after the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment last week moved Denver into Safer at Home Level 3, further restricting business operations and capacities.

City officials warned at the time that if the increasing positivity rate and hospitalizations here did not turn around, Denver could risk having to move back to a stay-at-home order, which city and state officials have been hoping to avoid for the sake of businesses and employment.

Click here to read the full story.

9:35 a.m. | Douglas County School District not moving to full remote learning

The Douglas County School District said it isn't moving to full remote learning, however, the current COVID-19 data is trending in the wrong direction.

Thursday, Nov. 5

5 p.m. | STRIDE testing sites close early due to increased demand, officials say more staff will be added

STRIDE Community Health says they’ll have additional staff starting Friday after COVID-19 testing sites in Jefferson and Douglas counties closed early Wednesday “in part due to staffing resources and in part due to increased demand for testing,” according to Laura Larson, the vice president of development for STRIDE.

Larson said STRIDE had had less capacity for testing over the last week as “counties continue to see changes to the Safer at Home levels across the state” and said they are reaching capacity daily due to those factors.

She urges people wanting to get tested to first check if they meet the criteria for doing so on their website. Pre-registration is required and they encourage residents to visit stridechc.org/covid-19, to learn more about that process and testing criteria.

4:55 p.m. | CU Boulder, DU switching to remote learning for the remainder of the semester as COVID-19 cases surge

CU Boulder and the University of Denver announced Thursday all classes would be switching to remote learning as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to rapidly increase throughout the Denver metro region.

The last day of in-person learning for CU Boulder students will be Friday, Nov. 13, according to a letter from the provost posted on the university’s website. From their part, DU said it would start transitioning students from in-person/hybrid learning starting Monday, Nov. 9. Remote learning for both schools will start on Nov. 16 and will last through the remainder of the semester.

“Unfortunately, our location in a city with a high rate of positivity has resulted in an increase of cases on campus in the past two days. We believe it is prudent to take precautionary actions so that we can continue to promote the health and safety of our community,” reads a letter from DU’s provost. CU Boulder officials said the shift to remote learning will provide students both on and off campus with the opportunity to return home before the week of Thanksgiving, adding the campus will be expanding on-campus COVID-19 testing starting the week of Nov. 9 Both schools said students living in residence halls could continue living in their residence halls and engage with others while following all safety guidelines to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus until Nov. 25.

Click here to read the full story.

4:53 p.m. | Colorado sees biggest single day increase in new COVID-19 cases

Colorado saw an all time daily high in new COVID-19 cases, with 3,369 reported Thursday. The state's positivity rate over the past 3 days climbed to 11.31%, well over the state's goal to remain under 5%.

121,006 cases (+3,369)
9,714 hospitalized (+96)
64 counties (+0)
1,287,081 people tested (+14,587)
2,141,933 test encounters (+32,819)
2,353 deaths among cases (+20)
2,158 deaths due to COVID-19 (+11)
1,350 outbreaks (+13)

Hospital bed use grew to 1,016 total confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients. Hospitals have 11% of their available beds filled with confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients.

Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.

4:16 p.m. | Free COVID-19 testing events in Walsenburg, Bennett

Las Animas and Huerfano counties, as well as the Tri-County Health Department, are hosting free COVID-19 community testing site events.

With the help of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, one event will be at the Train Depot in Walsenburg and run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. On both days the site will be closed from 12-1 p.m.

In Bennett, the testing site will be at Bennett High School and run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

There are no identification or insurance requirements for the events and the tests are free.

People with symptoms any of the below symptoms should always get tested immediately:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

There are more than 50 free community testing sites across the state, as well as dozens of locations offered by private providers. CDPHE said they hope to have similar community testing events in the future.

3:36 p.m. | Larimer County moves to Safer at Home Level 2

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ordered Larimer County to move from Safer at Home Level 1 to Level 2 on Colorado’s Dial.

The move is a result of rising COVID-19 case counts and positivity rates within Larimer County over the past several weeks, according to the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment. Hospitalizations and ICU usage continue to increase in the county.

The health department monitors case counts, positivity rates and hospitalization trends to determine whether the spread of COVID-19 is rising.

As of Thursday, Larimer County’s COVID-19 incidence rate is 309 and the positivity rate is 6.9%. Both numbers have increased significantly since early September.

The main differences between Level 1 and Level 2 include:

• Maximum attendees at indoor worship services are reduced from 175 to 50 people.
• Maximum attendees at gyms are reduced from 75 to 50 people.
• Maximum attendees at restaurants decrease from 175 to 50, or up to 100 if the space has adequate social distancing.
• Maximum participants for group sports are reduced from 50 to 25 per activity.
• Maximum attendees for indoor events are reduced from 175 to 100 and stays at 175 for outdoor events.
• Last call will remain at 11:00 pm.

Some restrictions may vary depending upon the industry or location. The changes will go into effect Friday at 5 p.m.

3:25 p.m. | Colorado's daily COVID-19 case count, hospitalizations reach highest levels yet

Colorado’s state epidemiologist said in a news conference Thursday that she believes coronavirus is circulating at its highest levels yet in the state as hospitalizations here have also topped their April high point.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said she believes about 1 in 100 Coloradans currently have COVID-19, as cases have topped 2,000 per day over the past week and 3,000 over the past couple of days.

“We believe there is more COVID-19 circulating in Colorado right now than there has been since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Herlihy.

Gov. Jared Polis said that there are 3,369 new cases – an all-time daily high, and that there were 894 confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospital beds, also a new high since the pandemic hit the state. Colorado saw 888 people hospitalized on April 14.

“I really hope and trust that that’s a wake-up call for Coloradans,” Polis said. “Our attention might have been distracted by the election or dealing with the horrific fires. Now, it’s time to re-focus on what we know we need to do to reduce this pandemic toll here in Colorado and to get our economy going.”

The news conference from the governor and top epidemiologist included some of the starkest language from the two since the onset of the pandemic about what Colorado would face in the coming weeks if residents don’t take seriously their warnings about gatherings, mask-wearing and proper physical distancing.

Polis said that the latest numbers were “grim” and that October had been “far worse and more deadly” after a shift from how Coloradans were operating in August and September.

“We cannot afford a November that is like October,” the governor said.

Herlihy presented a video showing the sharp rise of the seven-day incidence rate in various counties and the state over the past week or two.

And she warned that modeling projections done over the past several weeks have been outpaced by the actual growth of cases and hospitalizations, which she said were unlikely to slow or plateau.

“It’s likely this trend continues into the near future,” Herlihy said.

She said that cases among older age groups have again seen a “significant’ increase over the past few weeks, which she said was concerning because older Coloradans are more likely to be hospitalized because of the virus than younger residents, who made up more of the cases in the August spike.

Herlihy said that on the current trajectory, Colorado hospitals could exceed their existing ICU bed capacity in late December and have to surge ICU beds and go to crisis of care standards not in place since the spring.

She added that the late-December projection could be sped up even more if people do not change their current habits and gather in multi-family or multi-generation Thanksgiving celebrations. Gov. Polis said that he advised people to make plans for “a non-traditional Thanksgiving with your household only.”

“We are headed in the wrong direction and our health care system will be at risk if we stay on the current trend,” Herlihy said.

Polis called Herlihy’s presentation a “grim and sobering update” and said that Coloradans would need to limit their gatherings to household members only, stay home when sick, wear masks and properly distance in order to try to plateau the spike – something he has said for months, but which seemed to take on a heightened level of concern on Thursday.

“If we don’t … the toll will be immense,” Polis said.

Click here to read the full story.

12:05 p.m. | Cherry Creek School District goes to full remote learning

The Cherry Creek School District announced Thursday around noon that it will transition to full remote learning for all students.

Thursday marked the ninth day in a row that the district's COVID Tracker dashboard posted a "red zone" warning, meaning the level of COVID-19 in the school community had become dangerous.

In a letter, School Superintendent Scott A. Siegfried said according to the transition plan:

• Middle and high schools will finish in-person learning this week. Teachers will have Monday and Tuesday to prepare and remote learning will begin Wednesday.
• Pre-school and elementary schools will have their final day of in-person learning on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Teachers will have the following Thursday and Friday — Nov. 12 and 13 — to prepare and remote learning will begin Monday, Nov. 16.

"Our internal data continues to show that spread of the virus is minimal inside schools," Siegfried said. "However, the level of spread in the community is so significant that we are seeing increased student and staff cases coming into the schools from the community making it more difficult to operate."

There is no set date for in-person learning to return.

For more details on free meals, childcare, COVID-19 testing, technology help and more, read Siegfried's letter here.

11:25 a.m. | Silverthorne testing site opens Friday

The Summit County Public Health Department, in coordination with the CDPHE, will open a free COVID-19 testing site on Friday that will test Coloradans seven days a week.

The community testing site is located at 464-478 E 4^th St. in Silverthorne, in the overflow parking lot near the Silverthorne Rec Center.

It will be opening from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. No ID or insurance will be required, and the tests will be free.

Click here for a full list of all the community testing sites across Colorado.

11:30 a.m. | Elbert County announces more cases, limits attendance at events

Elbert County Public Health confirmed eight new cases of COVID-19 Thursday morning.

The additional cases brings the total in Eagle County to 290 PCR-confirmed cases. There have been no additional serology-confirmed cases, with the total remaining at 30. Among the PCR-confirmed cases, officials estimate approximately 36 people are currently infectious.

Elbert County's two-week cumulative incidence rate is 266.06 cases per 100,000 population, another high for the county since the beginning of the pandemic. The two-week average positivity is 9.31%, well above the CDC-recommended 5%.

On Wednesday, they performed 53 tests. A total of 31 residents have been hospitalized in Eagle County since the beginning of the pandemic.

Due to the increases in volume and rates of COVID-19, Eagle County is reducing the maximum allowable attendance at athletic competitions and performing arts events to 125 people at an outdoor event and 75 people at an indoor event through Nov. 14. Elbert County Public Health will consider allowing a particular community or event relief from the figures if they can demonstrate effective implementation of additional protections and safeguards for attendees. Prevailing public health orders and executive orders issued by the Governor’s Office or Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment still apply.

Elbert County Public Health also strongly encouraged anyone who can work from home to do so with data showing approximately 44% of Elbert County cases are due to household transmission of the virus.

8:16 a.m. | Testing at Jeffco Stadium reaches capacity

COVID-19 testing at Jeffco Stadium has reached capacity and has closed for the day.

7:30 a.m. | Colorado unemployment claim numbers

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment reported that 7,116 regular initial unemployment claims were filed the week ending on Oct. 31. There were also 3,625 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims filed for the same week. Since mid-March, a total of 594,481 regular unemployment initial claims have been filed, and a grand total of 770,928 claims were filed, including federal PUA benefits.

For the week ending on Oct. 24, a combined total of 207,795 continued claims were filed, including 96,078 from regular UI, 63,229 from PUA, and 48,488 from Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.

7:16 a.m. | No new cases for Broncos

Denver7's Troy Renck reports that the Broncos do not have any new COVID-19 cases. Sources say they will resume practice today.

6:45 a.m. | Number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits remains historically high at 751,000
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to 751,000, a still-historically high level that shows that many employers keep cutting jobs in the face of the accelerating pandemic. Read the full story here.

5:30 a.m. | Summit County adds restrictions to curb COVID-19

In a Facebook live Wednesday evening, Summit County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence said COVID-19 cases are rising in the county again since Labor Day.

Lawrence said the county has changed its public health order twice in the past couple weeks to have stronger restrictions, but the case numbers continued to rise instead of plateau or decline.

She said they continue to see spreads from gatherings. There has been a rise in cases in all groups, not just the 20-29 age group, she said.

Lawrence said the county is now in Level Orange.

She said the biggest change is likely that retail and restaurants will drop to 25% capacity. The county has been at 50% for several months..

The county will also have a 10 p.m. curfew.

"In Summit County, I know we can do this," she said. "I know we can get back on track. I just can't explain to you what you know — how important our winter economy is. I'm worried about that. Our winter economy is on the line. And it's really up to us to put it back on track and make sure it can happen."

These new restrictions will go into effect Friday at 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 4

5:02 p.m. | City and County of Broomfield moving to Safer at Home - High Risk restrictions as cases continue to surge

City and County of Broomfield officials say the county moving to Safer at Home - High Risk restrictions, joining Boulder and Jefferson counties, as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to spread across the state.

Safer at Home – High Risk (previously known as Safer at Home - Level 3) cuts restaurant capacity to 25%, along with 25% capacity limits at offices and retail, places of worship and non-critical manufacturing facilities. Gyms and fitness centers are also subject to the capacity rules, along with indoor events, outdoor events and outdoor guided services. Indoor events can have up to 50 people, if that's less than 25% capacity. Outdoor events can host 75 people, or 25% capacity, whichever is fewer.

4:48 p.m. | Jefferson County moved to ‘high risk’ level on state’s COVID-19 dial due to continued surge in cases

Jefferson County Public Health was informed Wednesday it would be moved back to the Safer at Home – High Risk level on the state’s COVID-19 dial as cases, hospitalizations and the testing positivity rate have all continued to increase at an alarming pace.

Safer at Home – High Risk (previously known as Safer at Home - Level 3) cuts restaurant capacity to 25%, along with 25% capacity limits at offices and retail, places of worship and non-critical manufacturing facilities. Gyms and fitness centers are also subject to the capacity rules, along with indoor events, outdoor events and outdoor guided services. Indoor events can have up to 50 people, if that's less than 25% capacity. Outdoor events can host 75 people, or 25% capacity, whichever is fewer.

The new restrictions will go into effect on Monday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m.

Over the past two weeks, there have been 2,513 total cases of the virus in Jefferson County or 431 per 100,000 residents, according to Jefferson County Public Health officials. Hospitalizations over the same time period – from Oct. 20 through Nov. 2 – have also increased by more than 75% across the region, they said. The county’s positivity rate is 7.7%

Jefferson County Public Health continues to urge its residents to wear a mask, maintain proper social distance of at least 6 feet, avoid gatherings with people who do not live in your household and observe proper hygiene by washing your hands for 20 seconds.

Read the full story here.

4:28 p.m. | Boulder County moving to safer-at-home Level 3 amid rising COVID-19 cases

Boulder County is moving to safer-at-home Level 3 amid a rise of COVID-19 cases, joining Denver and several other counties in bringing back restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.

Boulder County will move to Level 3 on Friday "due to the rapid increase in new COVID-19 cases and the percentage of positivity among COVID-19 tests" in the county, Boulder County Public Health said in a news release Wednesday.

Level 3 cuts restaurant capacity to 25%, along with 25% capacity limits at offices and retail, places of worship and non-critical manufacturing facilities. Gyms and fitness centers are also subject to the capacity rules, along with indoor events, outdoor events and outdoor guided services.

Indoor events can have up to 50 people, if that's less than 25% capacity. Outdoor events can host 75 people, or 25% capacity, whichever is fewer.

Boulder County's COVID-19 case rate in the last two weeks has been 312.1 per 100,000 people. Safer-at-home levels begin at 175 cases per 100,000 people and anything above 350 cases per 100,000 people qualifies for a stay-at-home phase, according to Colorado's public health dial.

Read the full story here.

4 p.m. | Colorado nears 3,000 cases of the novel coronavirus as 7-day average positivity rate nears 10%

Colorado reported nearly 3,000 new cases of the novel coronavirus in a single day as the average number of positive tests over the past week continues to increase - with 9.31% of tests coming back positive on Wednesday. State health officials say this shows that the rise in cases is not simply due to more testing.

117,637 cases (+2,928)
9,618 hospitalized (+438)
64 counties (+0)
1,272,494 tested (+12,641)
2,109,114 test encounters (+26,963)
2,333 deaths among cases (+22)
2,147 deaths due to COVID-19 (+13)
1,337 outbreaks (+69)

The latest hospital data shows 970 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 45 more than Tuesday with 89 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 88% of state hospitals reporting. Tuesday's seven-day average positivity rate in Colorado was 9.31%. The three-day average positivity rate was 10.79%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.

Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.

2:30 p.m. | Projections show Colorado COVID-19 hospitalizations to exceed April numbers in next few days

Colorado is on track to see a higher number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the next day or two than in April, according to Colorado Department of Health and Environment State Epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy.

Colorado is also seeing the highest case count since the beginning of the pandemic. Herlihy said they estimated about 9% of Coloradans have been infected by the virus, leaving most of the population still at risk of contracting COVID-19. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 925 confirmed or suspected COVID-19 hospitalizations.

"All the data support that the epidemic is worsening in Colorado," said the Dean of the Colorado School of Public Health, Dr. Jon Samet.
Twenty counties currently have a two-week incidence rating at the stay at home level, which is considered to be the most severe. Twenty more are just below at the high risk, safer at home level.

Click here for the full story.

9:30 a.m. | Jeffco Stadium COVID-19 testing site closed after reaching capacity less than an hour after opening

For the third day in a row, The STRIDE Community COVID-19 testing site at Jeffco Stadium closed early after reaching capacity for tests, according to Jefferson County Public Health.

The announcement came just after 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, less than an hour after opening.

In a statement Monday, STRIDE Community Health Center said they're limited to a maximum of 150 tests per day per location due to staffing and registration requirements. They have to close locations early once they've hit that maximum.

Click here for a list of free testing sites.

8 a.m. | CU Boulder sees jump in suspensions, public health order referrals

The University of Colorado Boulder saw a spike in public health order referrals related to COVID-19 over the last week, which included Halloween weekend.

From the week of Oct. 26 to Nov. 1, there are 94 on-campus students who are currently or have been under investigation, according to CU's dashboard. The number of off-campus students during the same week was 28. The week prior there were 50 on-campus students and five off-campus students.

Since Aug. 17 the university has suspended 24 students, a jump from just nine last week. They've also issued 504 educational interventions and 126 probations in that time.

Tuesday, Nov. 3

4 p.m. | Colorado's 3-day average positivity rate is now over 10% as hospitalizations reach levels not seen since May 2

Colorado surpassed the 10% positivity rate over the past 7 days on Election Day, which is double of what is recommended to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and suggests that the state is missing significant numbers of infections within the community. Hospitalizations also reached levels not seen since May 2, when 931 hospital beds were occupied by confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19.

114,709 cases (+2,562)
9,180 hospitalized (+66)
64 counties (+0)
1,259,853 tested (+10,725)
2,082,151 test encounters (+21,509)
2,311 deaths among cases (+19)
2,134 deaths due to COVID-19 (+8)
1,268 outbreaks (+47)

The latest hospital data shows 925 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 67 more than Tuesday with 73 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 90% of state hospitals reporting. Monday's seven-day average positivity rate in Colorado was 8.92%. The three-day average positivity rate was 10.31%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.

Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.

3:15 p.m. | Cherry Creek Schools students may return to remote learning as COVID-19 cases continue to rise

Cherry Creek Schools is close to reaching a level of concern that could lead to making a switch from in-person to remote learning, according to Cherry Creek School District.

In a letter to parents, the district said Tuesday was the seventh day in a row their COVID Tracker dashboard had a "red zone" rating. This indicates the virus is becoming significantly more widespread in the community. They're monitoring the data for a sustained 7-14 day trend. Superintendent Scott Siegfried said conversations with public health officials indicate the surge in COVID-19 cases will continue to rise in the coming days and weeks.

Siegfried asked teachers to ensure students take home home schoolwork and supplies this week in case he has to make the call to switch to remote learning. If the district makes the switch, it will not impact the schedule for K-12 Online learning students. Parents can read about the schedule and remote learning plan here.

11:55 a.m. | Glenwood Springs Elementary Schools class transitions to distance learning

On Tuesday around noon, Glenwood Springs Elementary School announced that it had transitioned one class to distance learning because of a confirmed case of COVID-19.

School staff worked with Garfield County Public Health on contact tracing. All students and staff who have been exposed have been contacted and they will stay home and quarantine for 14 days through Nov. 13.

11:30 a.m. | COVID-19 outbreak at Pueblo jail

Public health officials said there is an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Pueblo County Jail.

On Monday, the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment notified Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk M. Taylor about the outbreak status after determining at least two or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 had occurred during a 14-day period.

According to the sheriff's office, to date, 12 sheriff’s employees, which includes contract employees, and four inmates have tested positive. All those who have tested positive are in isolation and anyone who was in close contact with them is in quarantine.

10:48 a.m. | COVID-19 hits the Broncos

Broncos CEO Joe Ellis and General Manager John Elway have tested positive for COVID-19 as the virus continues to hit the organization hard.

Click here for the full story.

Monday, Nov. 2

8:45 p.m. | State releases new public health order

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released a new public health order that it says has "streamlined guidance and clarification on the dial framework." It goes into effect at midnight on Tuesday.

The order is similar to those in the past, but integrates Protect Our Neighbors, Safer at Home, and Stay at Home orders together.

According to a press release from the Colorado State Joint Information Center, these are the most notable changes:

• Updates the dial levels to be identified by color by removing the numbers from the Safer-At-Home levels. This change is intended to be more easily understood by Coloradans already accustomed to existing color-coded warning systems.
• Limits gatherings to no more than 10 from no more than 2 households for levels Blue, Yellow, and Orange, and prohibits gatherings for Red.
• Specifies that places of worship do not need to use the spacing calculator for seated events, consistent with other sector guidance, in all Safer at Home levels. Seated parishioners should be at least 6 feet apart from other households.
• Emphasizes that outdoor worship is always permitted.
• Changes indoor event guidance in Level Orange: Safer at Home, High Risk to be 25% of posted occupancy limit or 50 people, whichever is fewer.
• Changes outdoor event guidance in Level Orange: Safer at Home, High Risk to be 25% of posted occupancy limit or 75 people, whichever is fewer.
• Includes in-person learning for preschool through grade 12 schools as part of the “Critical Business” definition. This clarifies that local districts are able to make determinations on how to structure the format of education based on local factors.
• Finalizes transportation guidance to emphasize the requirement to wear a mask and practice physical distancing while on public transportation.
• Defines Stay at Home requirements, clarifying that at this level most activities are significantly curtailed, only allowed in outdoor environments, or prohibited, and noncritical businesses are closed for in-person work or services.

6 p.m. | What the data says about Colorado’s rapidly increasing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations

The numbers and graphs that fill the state’s COVID-19 data portal are determining how Coloradans live and what restrictions are in place to slow the spread of the new virus. Right now, that data shows coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are increasing rapidly in Colorado, and the experts behind the numbers say the state is at a critical moment.

Beth Carlton, a member of the state’s COVID-19 modeling team, says if Colorado continues the current trajectory, the state could soon see an unprecedented number of people in the hospital with COVID-19.

She said the modeling team is watching two metrics closely: The number of people in the hospital and the state’s positivity rate, which jumped to 8.49% over the past seven days, meaning more than 8% of the people getting testing for COVID-19 are coming back positive. Colorado hasn’t seen a positivity rate that high since May.

And while the data also shows doctors are getting better at treating the virus, which has led to fewer deaths than during the April peak in COVID-19 cases, doctors say said the good news is not a reason for people to let their guard down.

Read the full story.

5:07 p.m. | Police in Boulder issue nearly a dozen citations over Halloween weekend

The Boulder Police Department said they responded to eight large off-campus parties on Friday and Saturday, issuing at least 22 citations for nuisance party and/or public health violations.

The University of Colorado Boulder Police Department said they issued two citations for public health violations on campus Saturday night.

Under the code of conduct, the University of Colorado Boulder student body is required to follow county public health directives, the university released in a statement. Officials said the majority of students have followed the directives and their efforts helped decrease COVID-19 numbers dramatically in recent weeks. CU Boulder said they sent a message to students last week with safe, alternative on-campus activities.

Any students cited for violating public health orders over the weekend face possible sanctions by the university, including suspension, potential fines and other penalties issued by the City of Boulder.

4:04 p.m. | Dr. Deborah Birx to Coloradans: Stop socializing, visiting with people in other households

Gov. Polis and CDPHE executive director Jill Ryan met with Dr. Deborah Birx, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and had this message for Coloradans as the state is seeing a rapidly increasing surge of cases and hospitalizations:

“Dr. Birx said that we must urgently stop socializing and visiting with people in other households in Colorado for the next few weeks. I appreciate Dr. Birx coming to Colorado and meeting with my team and I about the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Birx described what has worked in other states and how Coloradans need to do a better job avoiding socializing and mixing between households while our state continues to rapidly ramp up testing, especially among younger Coloradans in their 20s and 30s who are less likely to have symptoms."

4 p.m. | State's positivity rate inches closer to 10%, double what is recommended to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus

The average number of tests that have come back positive over the past week is now 8.49%, and that percentage increases for tests that have come back positive over the past 3 days (9.15%) - both inching closer to double the state's goal of 5%, which is recommended to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and suggests that the state is missing significant numbers of infections within the community. The latest state data also shows hospitalizations for confirmed cases of COVID-19 have reached 755 - a number not reported since April 30.

112,147 cases (+2,237)
9,114 hospitalized (+25)
64 counties (+0)
1,249,128 tested (+12,805)
2,060,642 test encounters (+25,847)
2,292 deaths among cases (+4)
2,126 deaths due to COVID-19 (+21)
1,221 outbreaks (+5)

The latest hospital data shows 858 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 70 more than Sunday with 75 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 67% of state hospitals reporting. Sunday's seven-day average positivity rate in Colorado was 8.49%. The three-day average positivity rate was 9.15%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.

Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.

3:25 p.m. | Brighton COVID-19 mobile testing site moved to Riverdale Regional Park

The City of Brighton is changing the location of its COVID-19 mobile testing from the Eagle View Adult Center to Riverdale Regional Park at 9755 Henderson Road starting this Tuesday due to a "large turnout numbers of individuals wanting to get tested."

Testing days will remain the same - on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Saturday, Nov. 21.

To get tested at the new mobile testing site, you must enter through the entrance of the park’s main entrance off Henderson Road. Follow signs to enter the mobile queue for the antigen nasal swab. Test results will be ready shortly after. Individuals will have to wait for results on-site; results will not be emailed. Face coverings will be required when interacting with on-site staff. No restrooms will be available for public use.

Those who live and work in Brighton are eligible for free testing, but proof of residence/work is required. If you have questions regarding the testing, please call 303-655-2180.

1:53 p.m. | Multiple COVID-19 testing sites reach testing capacity for Monday

STRIDE Community Health Center said Jeffco Stadium and Lone Tree Arts Center are closed Monday after reaching maximum testing for the day.

The health center says they're limited to a maximum of 150 tests per day per location due to staffing and registration requirements. They have to close locations early once they've hit that maximum.

They said they've seen a slight uptick in the number of people coming for testing, aligning with changes to the Safer at Home levels announced last week. However, there is no shortage of tests or equipment.

Click here for a list of free testing sites.

Go here for coronavirus updates for Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2020