COLORADO, USA — Cases of COVID-19, a disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus, began popping up in the United States in January. On March 5, the first case was announced in Colorado.
Each day, we will post a new blog that will track the daily changes in Denver and throughout Colorado as we get them.
WHAT TO KNOW RIGHT NOW
- 9,730 cases, 1,813 hospitalized, 422 deaths Get the latest from the Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE).
- Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued a statewide stay-at-home order that will be in effect until at least April 26. (Some local orders remain in place and might be more restrictive.)
- Polis said Coloradans need to wear a face covering when out in public and on April 13 he asked children to decorate face masks and enter into a contest.
- The Colorado labor department said people who are self-employed can begin filing for unemployment on April 20.
Sunday, April 19
Gilpin County closes all county roads to visitors
The Gilpin County government announced it had closed all county roads to non-residents. According to a release, the county's board of health said while Gilpin County only has one confirmed case of COVID-19, it was concerned about the number of non-residents that were ignoring the state's stay-at-home order and flocking to the county for recreation.
Details about the order can be found here.
Bob Lazier, Vail hotel mogul and former Indy 500 driver, passes away at 81
Bob Lazier, 81, a hotel builder in Vail and former Indianapolis 500 driver, has passed away after a battle with COVID-19, the Town of Vail confirmed.
Lazier's company built many properties in Vail, including the Trivoli Lodge in the 1960s.
Lazier competed in the Indy 500 in 1981, starting 13th and finishing 19th after dropping out due to engine failure following the completion of 154 laps, according to NBC Sports. He also competed in Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) racing, finishing 9th in the 1981 standings, a strong enough performance to be voted the CART Rookie of the Year.
Buddy Lazier, Bob's oldest son, won the 1996 Indy 500 in his rookie year. Another son, Jacque, drove in CART and the Indy Racing League.
RTD service reductions take effect Sunday
Due to a drop in ridership because of the coronavirus pandemic, RTD is making changes to its services starting Sunday.
The changes include a reduction in service by about 40 percent for buses, light rail and special services that could remain in effect through Sept. 20, according to an RTD news release.
Also starting Sunday, RTD will reduce the frequency of trains on the B and G lines. The B Line, which travels between Denver and Westminster, will run every hour instead of every 30 minutes. Trains on the G Line, which serves Denver, Adams County, Arvada and Wheat Ridge, will run every 30 minutes instead of every 15 minutes.
The full list of service changes is here. For more updates from RTD regarding the coronavirus pandemic, visit rtd-denver.com/coronavirus.
Longmont authorities warn about scams involving stimulus checks
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will not contact you through phone, text or email regarding stimulus checks, according to a warning issued by Longmont Fire, Police and Community Health and Resilience (LFPCHR).
If you did not make the initial contact to a business or government agency, do not provide any personal information, LFPCHR said.
If you think the correspondence is legitimate, LFPCHR recommends looking up the number on your own and calling back to confirm their legitimacy.
Coronavirus cases in Colorado
In Colorado, 9,730 people have tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and 422 people have died. Of those who tested positive for the disease, 1,813 have been hospitalized.
According to CDPHE, 46,195 people have been tested and 56 counties are reporting cases. There have been 111 outbreaks at residential and non-hospital health care facilities.
- Denver: 1,784
- Arapahoe: 1,536
- Weld: 1,070
- Jefferson: 957
- Adams: 915
- El Paso: 731
- Eagle: 485
- Douglas: 368
- Boulder: 352
- Larimer: 239
- Morgan: 157
- Gunnison: 114
- Broomfield: 101
- Pueblo: 87
- Summit: 86
- Montrose: 77
- Garfield: 70
- Pitkin: 57
- La Plata: 52
- Routt: 49
- Chaffee: 38
- Mesa: 35
- Elbert: 23
- Delta: 22
- Teller: 24
- Logan: 17
- Kit Carson: 18
- San Miguel: 15
- Montezuma: 13
- Clear Creek: 11
- Baca: 10
- Fremont: 10
- Lake: 8
- Alamosa: 7
- Rio Grande: 7
- Park: 6
- Archuleta: 7
- Otero: 6
- Ouray: 5
- Phillips: 5
- Washington: 6
- Grand: 4
- Moffat: 4
- Saguache: 3
- Costilla: 3
- Las Animas: 3
- Hinsdale: 3
- Lincoln: 3
- Yuma: 2
- Mineral: 2
- Custer: 2
- Crowley: 2
- Rio Blanco: 1
- Huerfano: 1
- Unknown or pending:114
COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus that first appeared in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever, cough and breathing trouble. Most patients develop only mild symptoms. But some people, usually those with other medical complications, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia, which can be fatal.
To help prevent the spread, people should:
- Wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Stay home when they are sick.
- Cover their cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
If you are feeling ill with symptoms similar to those associated with COVID-19 the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) recommends the following:
- Manage your symptoms at home the same way you manage other cold symptoms. To the extent possible, people with flu-like symptoms should remain at home.
- If you need medical care, contact your primary care provider and schedule a visit. Let them know that you are concerned you might have COVID-19.
- Only contact 911 for emergencies requiring immediate life-saving care and let them know if you are concerned you might have COVID-19.
- Restrict visits to the hospital emergency room or urgent care — only individuals needing immediate care should visit these facilities. If you must visit an ER or urgent care facility, call ahead and let them know that you are concerned you might have COVID-19.
CDC's testing guidance includes three types of people:
- Those who have symptoms such as fever OR lower respiratory symptoms (cough or shortness of breath) and have had "close contact" with a confirmed coronavirus patient within 14 days of their first symptoms.
- Those who have fever AND/OR lower respiratory symptoms, require hospitalization and have traveled to areas impacted by the epidemic in the last 14 days.
- Patients with fever and severe, acute lower respiratory symptoms who require hospitalization, and for whom no other diagnosis has been found — such as the flu. No travel or contact exposure is needed.
DDPHE said it's working with city leadership to ensure that public health and safety measures are ready to be implemented in the event of a local outbreak with community transmission.
Those measures could include limiting large gatherings and encouraging employers to allow employees to work from home whenever possible.
Members of the public with general questions can call CO HELP at 1-877-462-2911 to be connected with a local public health representative. They can also visit denvergov.org/dphe.
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