NOTE: This is the live blog from Sunday, March 29. Click here for the live blog from March 30.
President Donald Trump says his administration is extending their guidelines on social distancing until April 30, after stating the COVID-19 death rate in the U.S. would likely hit a peak in two weeks. There's no word yet if Colorado will follow suit as the number of cases continue to climb.
The state had tested 14,470 in 46 counties. More than 2,300 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and 326 people have been hospitalized. Forty-seven people have died, according to the latest update from the CDPHE.
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 for March 29. Click here for updates from March 28.
Latest updates:
Sunday, March 29
4:21 p.m. | Trump adds 30 days to distancing guidelines as virus spreads
President Donald Trump is extending the voluntary national shutdown for a month as sickness and death from the coronavirus pandemic rise in the U.S. The initial 15 days of social distancing urged by the federal government is expiring and Trump had expressed interest in relaxing the guidelines at least in parts of the country less afflicted by the pandemic. But instead he decided to extend them. Many states and local governments have stiffer controls in place on mobility and gatherings. The federal guidelines recommend against against large group gatherings, promote social distancing, and urge older people and anyone with existing health problems to stay home.
-- Associated Press
4:04 p.m. | Number of positive cases in Colorado continues to grow
The number of positive cases of the novel coronavirus in Colorado increased by 246 on Sunday, with the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) announcing 2,307 people had tested positive as of 4 p.m. Sunday.
A total of 52 more people were hospitalized, bringing the total of hospitalizations to 326. The new virus is also now present in 46 of Colorado's 64 counties, two more than reported a day prior. The CDPHE said 1,194 more tests had been received by the state, bringing the total number of people who have been tested for COVID-19 to 14,470. State health officials said 47 people have now died from the disease, an increase of three people from Saturday’s numbers.
State health and government officials believe there are many more cases in the state but are prioritizing testing for those who are most at-risk.
1:48 p.m. | 10 nursing homes in Colorado have coronavirus outbreaks
The Colorado Department of Health has released the names and locations of nine of the 10 nursing homes and long-term care facilities that are facing outbreaks of COVID-19.
The facilities include two each in Weld and Larimer counties, and one each in El Paso, Chaffee, Arapahoe, Adams and Jefferson counties. The metro-area locations include Libby Bortz Assisted Living in Arapahoe County, Inglenook At Brighton in Adams County, and Mapleton Care Center in Jefferson County.
The 10th facility was revealed Sunday evening in a press release from Rout County. A total of three staff members and one resident at Casey's Pond in Steamboat Springs has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the release.
10:37 a.m. | Specter of 100K-plus virus deaths as Trump seeks reopening
As the White House looks for ways to restore normalcy in parts of the U.S., the government's foremost infection disease expert has a sober prognosis.
Dr. Anthony Fauci tells CNN that the country could experience more than 100,000 deaths and millions of infections from the coronavirus pandemic. He says the pandemic is such a “moving target” that it's hard to pin down such a forecast.
Associated Press
9:53 a.m. | Quarantine around NY, NJ, CT will 'not be necessary,' Trump says
President Trump says it has been determined a quarantine of New York and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut will be unnecessary after floating the idea earlier Saturday.
Click here for updates from March 28.
