COLORADO, USA — There are 283 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Colorado as of March 14, and the seven-day, moving average positivity rate increased to 3.46%, according to the latest data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
Additionally, 1,212,577 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of March 14, and 737,903 of them have been fully vaccinated. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are about 95% effective and require two doses to achieve immunization. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine was granted emergency use authorization on Feb. 27. It is 86% effective at preventing severe disease and requires one dose.
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Positivity is an important indicator of the status of COVID-19 in the state. The World Health Organization (WHO) in May 2020 recommended that the positivity rate be at or below 5% to contain the virus.
Current hospitalization data are also a key metric because they can be an indicator of whether Colorado’s hospital system is being overwhelmed by the virus. In April, hospitalizations peaked at 888 in one day. That number was surpassed Nov. 5, when the number increased to 894, and it climbed through Dec. 2 when hospitalizations peaked just below 2,000. Since then, the number has trended downward.
Data are released each day at 4 p.m. Numbers will be updated each day at that time.
A breakdown of the data and links to related stories can be found below.
What to know right now:
- 1,212,577 people vaccinated with at least one dose of vaccine, up from 1,198,113 the day prior.
- 737,903 people fully vaccinated, up from 724,443 the day prior.
- 443,968 cumulative cases, up from 442,753 the day prior.
- 24,200 cumulative hospitalizations, up from 24,185 the day prior.
- 6,038 deaths among those who tested positive for COVID-19, up from 6,036 the day prior.
- 6,072 deaths due to COVID-19, the same as the day prior.
- Get the latest on data from CDPHE here.
- More information on vaccines from CDPHE can be found here.
- Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order mandating face masks or coverings for anyone in indoor places in public.
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Coronavirus data breakdown
CDPHE reports 443,968 people have tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. That's up from 442,753 the day prior.
The graphic below shows case growth, which comes from subtracting the total number of cases from the previous day. A moving average helps capture a trend over a period of time. This removes some noise from the day-to-day numbers. The line on the graph is the seven-day moving average of case growth.
Vaccination data breakdown
- Colorado is currently in Phases 1A and 1B.
- 1,212,577 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, up from 1,198,113 the day prior.
- 737,903 people have been fully vaccinated, up from 724,443 the day prior.
- 1,080 total vaccine providers.
Colorado received its first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 14. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration in December authorized emergency use for both the Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine. Both are around 95% effective and require two doses. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine was granted emergency use authorization on Feb. 27. It is 86% effective at preventing severe disease and requires one dose.
The graph below shows the percentage of Colorado's population that has been vaccinated with either one or both doses. Health experts say they expect we'll reach herd immunity when about 70% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Positivity
Positivity is the number of tests that come back with a COVID-19 result. Above 10% could be an indicator that not enough testing is being done and that only people likely to have COVID are getting tested. The World Health Organization recommended in May 2020 that the positivity rate should be even lower, 5%, to contain the virus.
Fatalities
CDPHE reports:
- 6,038 deaths among people with COVID-19
- 6,072 deaths due to COVID-19
The majority of deaths — 54% — are among people over age 80; 24% of deaths occurred in people between ages 70-79, and 12% were in people ages 60-69.
The graph below shows the number of people who have died from COVID-19 based on the date of their death.
On May 15, CDPHE shifted to a death documentation difference that divided into "deaths among cases" and "deaths due to COVID-19." Dr. Rachel Herlihy, a state epidemiologist at CDPHE, said on May 18 that deaths in the "among" category are from those that tested positive for COVID-19 either before or after death. This is done by medical workers on the front line. Deaths in the "due to" category lag and stem from death certificates that the Centers for Disease Control codes and then sends to CDPHE. On the CDPHE website, it explains the two categories should not be on the same timeline because of reporting differences.
Hospitalizations
Of those who tested positive for the disease, a total of 24,200 cumulative hospitalizations have been reported.
As of March 14, 283 patients were hospitalized with the disease, according to the most recent data from the Colorado Hospital Association. Within the last 24 hours, 49 patients had been transferred or discharged.
(Note: 73% of facilities reported data as of March 14.)
The graph below shows the number of people currently hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis and the number of people who have been discharged or transferred within 24 hours. This is a key metric because it can be an indicator of whether or not Colorado’s hospital system is being overwhelmed by the virus.
Testing
According to CDPHE, 6,588,233 total tests have been administered and
2,651,715 people have been tested. All 64 counties have reported cases.
This graph shows the total number of tests processed each day.
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