More than 57,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Colorado since the virus was first detected in March, though state health officials believe there are many more cases that have gone unreported due to lack of testing.
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, Sept. 6
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers for Colorado
58,274 cases (+285)
7,138 hospitalized (+4)
63 counties (+0)
744,443 people tested (+5,880)
1,059,557 test encounters (+8,473)
1,972 deaths among cases (+1)
1,866 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
631 outbreaks (+0)
The latest hospital data shows 227 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, with 8 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 62% of state hospitals reporting. Saturday’s 3-day moving average positivity rate was 2.51%. The state’s target is to remain below 5%.
Saturday, Sept. 5
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers for Colorado
58,989 cases (+334)
7,134 hospitalized (+9)
63 counties (+0)
738,563 people tested (+6,541)
1,051,084 test encounters (+10,332)
1,971 deaths among cases (+5)
1,866 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
631 outbreaks (+3)
The latest hospital data shows 220 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, with 20 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 78% of state hospitals reporting. Friday’s 3-day moving average positivity rate was 2.48%. The state’s target is to remain below 5%.
Friday, Sept. 4
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers from Colorado
58,655 cases (+368)
7,125 hospitalized (+21)
63 counties (+0)
732,022 people tested (+6,927)
1,040,752 test encounters (+10,961)
1,966 deaths among cases (+11)
1,866 deaths due to COVID-19 (+5)
628 outbreaks (+3)
The latest hospital data shows 219 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 8 more than Thursday with 18 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 86% of state hospitals reporting. Thursday’s 3-day moving average positivity rate was 2.40%. The state’s target is to remain below 5%.
Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.
2:11 p.m. | Littleton Heritage High School remote learning through next week
Littleton Heritage High School shifted to online, remote learning Friday – through next Friday, Sept. 11 – after 27 staff members were forced to quarantine for 14 days due to positive COVID-19 tests involving a student and a staff member earlier this week.
The Tri-County Health Department said the two positive cases are unrelated but said dozens of students and 27 staff members were identified as close contacts of the two.
Since 27 staffers have to quarantine, the school said it does not have enough staff “to provide adequate supervision and safety for our students.”
“Based on the impact of these quarantines on our school community, we felt it was necessary to shift from the current hybrid/blended learning model to a temporary, all online, synchronous remote learning model beginning this Friday, September 4, through September 11 in order to provide all students with the best learning environment,” Principal Stacey Riendeau wrote.
For more information, click here to read the full letter.
Thursday, Sept. 3
5:40 p.m. | Firefighter battling Cameron Peak Fire tests positive for COVID-19, dozens potentially exposed
A forward operating base for the Cameron Peak Fire was shut down after a firefighter battling the blaze tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, potentially exposing more than 30 other people at the base, according to officials with the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team.
In all, four firefighters out of 850 have tested positive for the new respiratory disease. None have come into close contact with the local community, the incident management team said.
5:21 p.m. | Reminded of post-July 4 coronavirus spike, Colorado officials urge caution this Labor Day weekend
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and other officials on Thursday urged people to be careful over the Labor Day weekend and mindful of not spreading the coronavirus as they get out and about.
“We can’t let that happen again after Labor Day weekend. Our success thus far is due to each individual doing their part and we can’t let up now. We need everyone, including all of our students who are back on campus, to take this seriously and act responsibly by avoiding large groups and parties and wearing a mask around others,” Polis said at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
He said that continued mask-wearing, social distancing and having people avoid large gatherings over the holiday weekend would be key to keeping on a good trend line moving into the fall and as K-12 and higher education schools return to classrooms.
5:03 p.m. | Jefferson County Public Health sues for injunction after Bandimere's 'Stop the COVID Chaos' rally
Jefferson County Public Health on Thursday sued Bandimere Speedway over the “Stop the COVID Chaos” rally held on Tuesday, which saw thousands of people gather in the face of the state and local public health orders barring gatherings of that size.
It’s the second time in months the county health department has taken the race track to court after it held large public gatherings.
4:06 p.m. | Three confirmed, 18 probable cases of COVID-19 among Thornton Topgolf employees
Up to 21 employees at the Topgolf in Thornton could be infected with COVID-19, according to outbreak data from state health officials.
Denver7 reached out to the corporate offices for Topgolf to ask what steps the company is taking in light of the recent positive tests. COVID-19 safety information on the Topgolf website says employees must inform management if they test positive, and associate health screenings are conducted during shift check-ins.
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbesr from Colorado
Here are the latest numbers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE):
58,287 cases (+268)
7,104 hospitalized (+14)
63 counties (+0)
725,095 people tested (+5,947)
1,029,791 test encounters (+8,294)
1,955 deaths among cases (+3)
1,861 deaths due to COVID-19 (+8)
625 outbreaks (+1)
The latest hospital data shows 211 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 36 than Wednesday with 19 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 88% of state hospitals reporting. Wednesday’s 3-day moving average positivity rate was 3.14%. The state’s target is to remain below 5%.
Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.
3:50 p.m. | Two additional cases of MIS-C in Colorado
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) said Thursday it had reported two additional cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, otherwise known as MIS-C. The mystery syndrome, which has popped up across the country and targets children, is linked to the novel coronavirus.
A doctor at Children's Hospital said back in July that initial information shows the syndrome generally affects children between the ages of 5 and 15, though there have been some cases of children up to age 20 having the syndrome.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says most cases have developed 2-4 weeks after a person was infected with SARS-CoV-2. Eighty-six percent of cases have occurred in children under age 15.
The CDC’s case definition for MIS-C involves a person aged under 21 showing lab evidence of inflammation, severe illness requiring hospitalization, with multisystem organ involvement and no plausible diagnoses, as well as a positive current or recent test for SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 or antibodies for the disease
Two deaths have been linked to MIS-C in Colorado. So far, nine cases of MIS-C have been identified statewide.
10:47 a.m. | CU Boulder detects possible COVID-19 in wastewater from 4 dorms; students, staff will be tested
University of Colorado Boulder officials on Wednesday said in an email that possible COVID-19 had been detected in wastewater testing from four campus residence halls.
Students were notified of the possible detection in Darley North, Darley South, Libby Hall and Willard Hall and they were advised to get tested Wednesday and Thursday. Staff who have worked in the building were also asked to get tested.
Test results from students in those dorms have not been released, though 13 new positive tests were identified through on-campus saliva testing Tuesday. Those tests were sent to a public health clinic in Wardenburg to be confirmed through diagnostic testing.
Officials said they anticipate more positive cases will be identified through the end of the week, as residents from the four dorms where COVID-19 was possibly detected get test results back.
"The next few days will be critical to our ability to maintain our current operating status," Dan Jones, associate vice chancellor for integrity safety and compliance, wrote in an email to the campus Wednesday. "It is imperative that we all continue to follow public health orders, avoid large gatherings, wear masks and practice physical distancing."
CU Boulder researchers have been monitoring wastewater samples from campus residence halls to see if possible COVID-19 can be detected ahead of positive cases and outbreaks.
According to CU professor Cresten Mansfeldt, 40-80% of infected people shed the virus, making it detectable in wastewater.
“It’s not a diagnosis, but could identify whether or not there are infections in certain areas of the campus,” Mansfeldt said in a news release from CU Boulder last month. “It complements the entire framework being deployed at the university.”
Click here to read the full story.
7:35 a.m. | New regular unemployment claims in Colorado are the lowest since the pandemic hit
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment reported that 5,837 regular initial unemployment claims were filed for the week ending on Aug. 29. This is the lowest new regular unemployment claims have been since COVID-19 hit Colorado in mid-March. Since then, a total of 542,619 regular unemployment initial claims have been filed.
Due to a data reporting issue, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims data is not available for this week. This data will be released on Sept. 10.
For the week ending Aug. 22, a combined total of 281,854 continued claims were filed, including 177,135 from regular UI, 83,926 from PUA, and 20,793 from Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.
The department also announced it has paid nearly $4.8 billion in unemployment benefits since March 29.
6:45 a.m. | Weekly jobless claims fall to 880,000, but layoffs remain high
The number of laid-off Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to roughly 880,000 last week, a sign of possible improvement but evidence that the viral pandemic keeps forcing many businesses to slash jobs. Read more here.
Wednesday, Sept. 2
5:41 p.m. | Gov. Polis extends disaster declaration for another 30 days
Gov. Jared Polis has extended an executive order that prolongs the state's emergency declaration for another 30 days, "and the deployment of the Colorado National Guard to support and provide planning resources to State and local authorities as they respond to the presence of COVID-19 in the State."
The order is valid until Oct. 2, 2020.
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers from Colorado
The state reported Wednesday that more than 58,000 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the latest numbers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE):
58,019 cases (+244)
7,090 hospitalized (+37)
63 counties (+0)
719,148 people tested (+4,647)
1,021,497 test encounters (+6,855)
1,952 deaths among cases (+6)
1,853 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
624 outbreaks (+17)
The latest hospital data shows 247 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients –11 more than Tuesday with 13 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 83% of state hospitals reporting. Monday’s 3-day moving average positivity rate was 2.90%. The state’s target is to remain below 5%.
Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.
5 a.m. | Weld District 6 closes school due to COVID-19
Jackson Elementary School moved to remote learning on Sept. 1 and will continue until Sept. 14.
On Saturday, a person who had been in contact with a fourth grade cohort tested positive for COVID-19. Three adults and 22 students were identified in this exposure. Because this is the second quarantine in one week, the district decided that Jackson should stop in-person learning for the next 14 days and have students and staff move to remote learning.
Tuesday, Sept. 1
7:47 p.m. | 88 people under quarantine at Chaparral High following possible COVID-19 exposure
Eighty-eight people - including students and staff at Chaparral High School - will have to quarantine for the next 14 days after coming into close contact with an individual who was exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, the Douglas County School District said in a letter to parents Monday.
The district did not say how many of those 88 were students.
5:55 p.m. | CDC order expected to halt evictions in Colorado through end of 2020
Colorado officials and eviction defense advocates say they believe that an unexpected order Tuesday from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will halt most evictions in the state starting this week.
The CDC announced it plans to suspend the eviction of tenants earning no more than $99,000 a year from Sept. 4 until Dec. 31. In a draft order, the agency said it’s taking the action to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. The policy has the support of President Donald Trump, the White House said.
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers from Colorado
Colorado saw more than 350 new cases of the novel coronavirus from Monday into Tuesday, according to the latest numbers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Here are the latest numbers from the CDPHE:
57,775 cases (+351)
7,053 hospitalized (+25)
63 counties (+0)
714,501 people tested (+3,578)
1,014,642 test encounters (+4,672)
1,946 deaths among cases (+1)
1,853 deaths due to COVID-19 (+4)
607 outbreaks (+3)
The latest hospital data shows 236 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 5 fewer than Monday with 26 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 85% of state hospitals reporting. Monday’s 3-day moving average positivity rate was 2.74%. The state’s target is to remain below 5%.
Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.
3:03 p.m. | Donate your old phone to help patients battling COVID-19
Got an old phone you no longer need? The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is asking that you donate it to hospitals which could really use them to help patients in critical care fighting COVID-19.
Through the Secure the Call program, your old donated phone can be converted to 911 emergency-only devices that will then be given out to patients at no charge.
Barrels are located in the front lobby at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Headquarters, located at 200 Jefferson County Parkway in Golden; the JCSO South Precinct at 11139 Bradford Road in Littleton; and the JCSO Mountains Precinct at 4990 Highway 73 in Evergreen.
Wall and car chargers can be donated as well.
12:14 p.m. | Colorado College goes back to remote learning
All classes at Colorado College in Colorado Springs are moving to remote delivery for the remainder of Block 1 and most classes will be in remote delivery for the remainder of the Fall Semester, the school announced Tuesday. This comes after the El Paso County Public Health Department required the school to quarantine its residence halls.
7:13 a.m. | Frontier Academy Elementary school moves to remote learning to prevent further COVID-19 spread
All students at Frontier Academy Elementary School will be moved to remote learning until Sept. 15 after a second person who tested positive for COVID-19 came into contact with a separate 5th grade cohort than the one reported last week, school officials said in a letter to parents and staff.
The secondary school is still scheduled to continue with the hybrid learning model.
School officials added teachers will be in contact with families regarding next steps beginning Thursday.
7:03 p.m. | CSU athletics resuming activities after COVID-19 outbreak
The CSU athletic department says it has resumed athletic activities after they were paused following an outbreak reported on July 21.
In a news release, the university's athletic department says students who have opted in for the fall semester of activities have begun "allowable team activities and/or strength and conditioning activities under strict health and safety protocols within Colorado State's athletic facilities."
Student athletes who opted-out will not have their scholarship reduced and will continue to receive any on-going sports medicine services for athletic-related injuries as well as continued academic support, according to the news release.
Athletics officials said that "while there will not be competition this fall in any sport, the Mountain West Conference has decided that it is in the best interest of student-athletes to continue to train but to follow all health protocols."
Monday, Aug. 31
4:09 p.m. | Jackson Elementary in Greeley going to remote learning after a couple of coronavirus exposures
Jackson Elementary School in Greeley is switching to remote learning until Sept. 14 due to two exposures of the novel coronavirus in one week.
Three adults and 22 students were asked to quarantine today for 14 days after exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 after that person came into contact with a fourth grade cohort at Jackson Elementary School.
"Because this is the second quarantine in one week, we have decided that Jackson should stop in person learning for the next 14 days and have students and staff move to remote learning," school officials told parents in a letter Monday afternoon. "This will allow time for students and staff to be away from each other and stop any further transmission of COVID-19. It will also allow for additional sanitizing and disinfecting at the school."
The school said it had already issued Chromebooks for students for remote learning purposes, adding teachers would be contacting families today to discuss how and when to log on for remote learning Tuesday.
"We are very disappointed to pause in-person learning, but believe this is the best decision to continue ensuring the health and safety of our students and staff," school officials said.
4:03 p.m. | Overland High staff member tests positive for COVID-19, 66 students will now have to quarantine
A staff member at Overland High School has tested positive for the coronavirus and 66 students will now have to self-quarantine as a precaution, according to a Cherry Creek Schools spokesperson.
In a letter sent to district families Monday afternoon, the district said the staff member was last at school on Friday, Aug. 28 and that two other staff members reported illness but tested negative once tested for COVID-19.
As a result, students who were in a cohort B classes with the positive staff member will need to quarantine through Friday, Sept. 11. Those students will return to in-person hybrid learning the week of Sept. 14, the district wrote in the letter. Parents and/or guardians of those students will be notified individually via email, the district added.
4 p.m. | Average percentage of COVID-19 positive tests over the last 3 days lowest its been since start of coronavirus pandemic in Colorado
The average percentage of tests that came back positive over the last three days in Colorado was the lowest it's been as of Sunday, Aug. 31, according to the latest numbers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, with only 2.07% of COVID-19 tests coming back positive - well within the range federal, state and local health experts consider acceptable.
57,424 cases (+210)
7,028 hospitalized (+18)
63 counties (+0)
710,923 people tested (+4,856)
1,009,970 test encounters (+7,168)
1,945 deaths among cases (+1)
1,849 deaths due to COVID-19 (+6)
604 outbreaks (+0)
The latest hospital data shows 241 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 1 more than Sunday with 13 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 58% of state hospitals reporting. Sunday’s 3-day moving average positivity rate was 2.07% - the lowest it’s been since coronavirus cases were first reported in Colorado on March 5. The state’s target is to remain below 5%.
Click here to explore the latest COVID-19 case data for Colorado.
3:06 p.m. | Denver's DOTI to resume parkin enforcement paused during start of coronavirus pandemic
The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) announced Monday it would resume parking enforcement that was paused at the start of the coronavirus pandemic back in March on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Among the enforcement practices that will be resumed:
• Enforcement of license plate/vehicle registration tags. Residents are encouraged to ensure their vehicle registrations are up to date. Renewals can be made online and at DMV offices.
• Booting. Residents are urged to take care of unpaid parking tickets and can do so online at www.parksmartdenver.com. Vehicle owners with three (3) unpaid, overdue parking citations are eligible for booting.
• Residents should avoid school bus loading zones as school is back in session. DOTI said it will enforce these zones when schools reopen.
The following enforcement activities are still suspended:
• Enforcement of parking meters downtown in the overnight hours (10 p.m. – 6 a.m.)
• Large vehicle parking: Until further notice, residents can park trucks and other vehicles more than 22 feet in length on the street in non-residential areas.
• Street paving: Amid the economic impacts of COVID-19, DOTI will refrain from issuing citations to people whose cars need to be towed for street paving operations until the 2021 paving season, but residents are asked to make every attempt to move their cars so the work can occur.
2:42 p.m. | Thornton Fire Dept. conducting free COVID-19 testing Tuesday
The Thornton Fire Department says it will conduct free COVID-19 drive-up testing to anyone 12 years or older tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 1) from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. at 1330 E. 126th Ave. The testing is open to anyone regardless of symptoms. You are encouraged to sign up at gocot.net/covid19testing for a quicker check-in. If you need help with registration, you are asked to call 303-538-7420.
Click here for the coronavirus blog from Aug. 24-Aug. 30, 2020.
