Almost exactly two months after an El Paso County woman in her 80s became Colorado’s first victim of the novel coronavirus, the state now has topped 1,000 deaths in connection with the pandemic.
State health officials on Tuesday confirmed 1,009 people have died in connection with the COVID-19 respiratory disease, while there now are more than 20,000 known cases of the respiratory illness.
There have been 3,695 people hospitalized since the outbreak was first confirmed in the state in March, but only 563 people were in Colorado hospitals with symptoms of the illness as of Monday afternoon, state data shows. At least 38 people since Monday either went home or were transferred to a lower level of care, like a rehabilitation facility.
More than 20,100 people have tested positive for or are believed to have COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory disease causes by the virus — though health officials have said the true number is likely far higher.
Officials recorded more than 2,900 tests on Monday as the state ramps up its capabilities to better track the virus. The testing rate — 51.1 tests per 100,000 people per day — is still significantly lower than the 152-per-100,000 daily number pegged by health experts as necessary to safely monitor the outbreak.
Much of the testing has been focused on senior living facilities and other care homes. Officials have confirmed outbreaks at 199 facilities across the state, seven more than the previous day.
The state health department announces new totals daily of coronavirus deaths and confirmed cases based on what’s reported up from Colorado’s counties; though the deaths and positive test results may be announced on a particular day, they may have occurred any time in the past and are just now being reported to the state.
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