NOTE: This is the live blog from Thursday, June 4. Click here for the live blog for Friday, June 5.
The number of reported positive cases of the novel coronavirus topped 27,000 on Wednesday, 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 CDPHE.
Below, we're updating this blog with the latest information regarding COVID-19 in Colorado.
Latest updates:
Thursday, June 4
6:45 p.m. | Colorado releases finalized guidance for houses of worship, outdoor and personal recreation to resume
Colorado issued finalized guidance Thursday for the reopening of houses of worship, outdoor and personal recreation, including swimming pools, after draft guidance was released earlier this week.
Churches and other houses of worship will be allowed to have indoor services with up to 50 people inside or 50% of the building’s capacity, or outdoors with household groups separated by at least 6 feet.
Indoor gyms, bowling alleys, pools and rec centers can open to up to 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer.
Outdoor recreation and tours will also be allowed to resume in small groups of up to 10, in most cases. But people will be asked to maintain proper social distancing except when it is not possible and to wear face coverings when safe and possible.
Click here to read the full story.
6 p.m. | Executive order allows Colorado business owners to deny service to people not wearing masks
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order Thursday that gives private businesses the right to deny admittance or service to any person who tries to enter their business without a mask or face covering.
They will also be able to remove any person who fails to wear a face covering or mask as long as the person does not have a condition that keeps them from doing so, according to the order.
Polis unveiled a new state public service campaign video that encourages Coloradans to wear masks as much as possible if they are leaving home and especially if they are going to a public business or interacting with others.
He said a mask-wearing culture would be the state’s “ticket” to continue to open up more quickly until a vaccine or cure for COVID-19.
Click here to read the full story.
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers in Colorado
Colorado has reported more than 2,700 positive cases of coronavirus as of Tuesday, June 4. Here are the latest numbers from the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE). Please note: The (+) denotes a change in cases from the previous day.
27,360 positive cases (+300)
4,460 hospitalizations (+17)
60 counties (no change)
200,912 people tested (+6,215)
1,512 deaths among cases (+18)
1,255 deaths due to COVID-19 (+1)
294 outbreaks (+2)
The latest hospital data from the CDPHE shows 356 hospital beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients — 32 fewer beds than reported on Wednesday.
Noon | Jefferson County eases Clear Creek restrictions
Jefferson County officials on Thursday eased restrictions on waterway activities along Clear Creek, allowing partial use for whitewater canoes and kayaks. The restrictions were put in place due to COVID-19 prevention efforts. Single-chambered inflatable devices such as inner tubes are still restricted on Clear Creek from the county's western border at State Highway 119 through the Golden city limits to Vanover Park.
7:30 a.m. | Initial unemployment claims decline for seventh week in a row
Today the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment reported there were 12,149 initial regular unemployment claims filed for the week ending May 30. Last week saw 15,603 of these claims.
This is the seventh week in a row of gradual declines in regular unemployment claims.
In addition, there were 6,414 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) initial unemployment claims filed last week.
Over the past 11 weeks, a total of 433,552 regular unemployment initial claims were filed, and a grand total of 517,414 claims were filed including federal PUA benefits.
6:30 a.m. | 1.8 million Americans filed for unemployment last week
The Department of Labor reported Thursday that 1.8 million Americans filed initial claims for unemployment during the week ending May 30, bringing an 11-week total to about 42 million.
Thursday's report marked the ninth straight week of declining unemployment numbers, as every state has begun the process of lifting coronavirus-related lockdowns. However, unemployment claims remain historically high. Click here to read more.
Click here for the live blog from Wednesday, June 3.
