Colorado has recorded as many as 960 deaths from the new coronavirus as outbreaks at senior living facilities continue to increase, state health officials said Thursday.
There have been 3,600 people hospitalized since the outbreak was first confirmed in the state in March, but only 610 people were in Colorado hospitals with symptoms of the illness as of Thursday afternoon, state data shows. At least 40 people since Thursday either went home or were transferred to a lower level of care, like a rehabilitation facility.
More than 18,800 people have tested positive for or are believed to have COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory illness causes by the virus — though health officials have said the true number is likely far higher.
Officials recorded more than 5,400 tests on Thursday, as the state ramps up its capabilities to better track the virus as businesses slowly reopen. The 94.7 tests per 100,000 people per day is significantly higher than the previously week’s totals but not quite at the 152 per 100,000 each day pegged by health experts as necessary to safely monitor the outbreak.
Much of that testing has been focused on senior living facilities and other care homes. Officials have confirmed outbreaks at 184 facilities across the state, four 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.
