COLORADO — Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Colorado, with the statewide total at 8,675 cases as of Thursday afternoon, including 374 deaths and 1,693 people hospitalized. Gov. Jared Polis announced the Colorado Mask Project in March to urge anyone who leaves home for essential needs to cover their face with a mask. The recommendation is to create your own with cloth.
Watch News5 on a streaming device
Check 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.
Colorado Springs and Pueblo have both set up hotlines for people to call with questions about COVID-19. In Colorado Springs, call 719-575-8888 or the United Way 2-1-1 hotline. In Pueblo, call 719-583-4444.
Below, we're updating this blog with the latest information regarding COVID-19 in Colorado.
___
Thursday, April 16, 2020
9:26 p.m. | Colorado Supreme Court suspends jury trails until June
In a letter from Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan B. Coats, the Colorado Supreme Court will be suspending all jury trails until June 1, 2020 due to COVID-19.
Judges in local courts have been given the authority to manage how other court hearings proceed in their jurisdictions.
7:45 p.m. | President Trump outlines steps to reopening the economy
Trump says state economies can reopen in three phases. The first phase calls for telework to continue as much as possible, minimizing non-essential travel, keeping schools closed, prohibiting visits to senior living facilities and hospitals. Large venues, restaurants and gyms can operate under strict social distancing guidelines. The first phase also encourages those who are vulnerable to remain isolated.
A second phase would allow for non-essential travel, schools and daycares can reopen, but still imposes social distancing guidelines for mass gatherings, prohibiting visits to senior living facilities and hospitals, and recommends vulnerable people to shelter in place.
A third phase would then allow unrestricted staffing at work sites, vulnerable individuals can resume public interaction with caution, visits to hospitals and senior facilities can resume, and large venues can operate under limited physical distancing.
Presently, stay at home orders are in place in 43 states.
5:00 p.m. | Gold's Gym closes Colorado Springs locations
According to a statement on their Facebook page, Gold's Gym is closing their locations in Colorado Springs due to COVID-19.
Those three locations include gyms in the Cimarron Hills, Briargate and Security-Widefield.
4:45 p.m. | New Parkview Medical numbers for COVID-19
Currently hospitalized: 13
COVID PT that were hospitalized and discharged: 20
COVID PT that were seen in ED then recovered from home: 23
COVID deaths: 5
4:30 p.m. | Hanover School District 28 announces e-learning for the rest of the school year
The Hanover School District 28 Board of Education announced on Wednesday that they have passed a resolution to not hold in-person education for the remainder of this school year due to COVID-19.
The remainder of the school year will all be at-home e-learning education.
4:10 p.m. | Pueblo library district extends closure to May
According to a release, the Pueblo City-County Library District is extending its closure of library locations to the public through to May 3.
4:00 p.m. | Broncos star Von Miller tests positive for COVID-19, source confirms
Broncos star Von Miller has tested positive for COVID-19, according to multiple reports.
2:50 p.m. | Vitalant, Centura collect "convalescent plasma" from recovered COVID-19 patient
Vitalant has partnered with Centura Health to collect the first "convalescent plasma" donation in Colorado.
There are vaccine trials currently underway, but none are expected to be approved for several months.
2:45 p.m. | Colorado health officials say mass testing, containment strategy needed before stay-at-home can lift
Colorado public health officials said Thursday that getting better testing capacity and materials in place, and a robust COVID-19 identification and containment strategy, would be the “foundational element” of when the state can start to lift the stay-at-home order and other social distancing measures.
2:35 p.m. | Daily data now available from Colorado hospitals, including discharge rates
The latest data can be found on the state's website here .
2:30 P.M. | Another 104K Coloradans filed for unemployment last week; federal benefit system expected soon
Another 104,217 Coloradans filed initial unemployment claims last week – more than the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment processed in all of 2019 – and the state says it expects to roll out the additional unemployment filling system for self-employed and gig workers in the next couple of days.
Over the past four weeks, a total of 231,610 initial claims were filed. Last week’s number was more than 55,000 more initial claims than were filed the week before.
10:40 a.m.|District 49 announces e-learning through end of school year
District 49 officials announced Thursday that e-learning would continue through the end of the school year.
The district said this decision came after "reviewing guidance and projections from health and government agencies."
10 a.m.| Amazon plans to hire 1,000 people in Colorado
Amazon announced it is planning to hire 1,000 people in Colorado as part of its initiative to hire an additional 75,000 jobs, according to a release.
The company said it has fulfilled its pledge to hire 100,000 people in various job types nationwide. Of these 100,000 positions, Amazon said they hired 3,600 Coloradans.
6:15 a.m.|Impacts of alcohol consumption, isolation during COVID-19: health experts weigh in
Grocery stores are selling out of food and toilet paper. Alcohol is also selling fast with many stocking up on beer, liquor, and wine during this pandemic. While it's been a boost for some businesses it's also a health concern for some.
6 a.m.|DHS workers make modifications during pandemic
Telehealth is becoming the standard during COVID-19. For the Department of Human Services caseworkers in El Paso County, technology isn't always available when responding to abuse reports. Leading some workers to hold interviews through windows, or send technology to clients.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
5:05 p.m. | Colorado Springs encourages residents to comply with temporary closure of Manitou Incline
The City of Colorado Springs is encouraging residents to comply with the temporary closure of the Manitou Incline as there have been "enforcement issues" with the City of Manitou's decision to close the Manitou Incline.
"While the City of Colorado Springs manages the Incline, the bottom portion of the Incline is within the jurisdiction of the City of Manitou and subject to any emergency orders it may issue. Manitou has made a decision to enact an emergency closure of the Incline within its city limits. They have the legal authority to do so, and the City of Colorado Springs encourages all residents to comply with Manitou’s temporary emergency order," officials said in a statement.
5 p.m. | 2 inmates test positive for COVID-19 at Sterling Correctional Facility
The Colorado Department of Corrections has been notified that two inmates at the Sterling Correctional Facility have tested positive for COVID-19.
The inmates were housed in the same unit and have been, and will continue to be, screened and quarantined. They will also continue to get proper medical care.
4:45 p.m. | Trump says data indicates US is 'past the peak' on new COVID-19 cases
President Donald Trump says data indicates the United States is “past the peak” of the COVID-19 pandemic, clearing the way for his plans to roll out guidelines to begin to “reopen” the country.
“The battle continues, but the data suggests that nationwide, we have passed the peak on new cases. Hopefully that will continue and we will continue to make great progress,” said Trump at his daily press briefing Wednesday.
“The battle continues, but the data suggests that nationwide, we have passed the peak on new cases. Hopefully that will continue and we will continue to make great progress,” said Trump at his daily press briefing Wednesday.
4:35 p.m. | Three stages for the state’s response to COVID-19
During his press conference Wednesday, the governor outlined three stages for the state's response to COVID-19.
During his press conference Wednesday, the governor outlined three stages for the state's response to COVID-19.
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers in Colorado
8,280 cases
1,636 hospitalized
56 counties
40,533 people tested**
357 deaths
83 outbreaks at residential and non-hospital health care facilities
357 deaths
Find the latest information from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment here.
3:30 p.m. Daily White House Briefing
3:30 p.m. Daily White House Briefing
2:45 p.m. | Next 5 days will help determine next steps
Gov. Polis said that within next five days, data will guide the state on how to successfully manage the spread of the virus and will determine what level of social distancing continues. Gov. Polis said it is possible that on April 27, the day after the current stay-at-home order is scheduled to end, some level of business 'could' reopen. The social distancing plan remains critical for small businesses to reopen.
2:40 p.m | Polis explains 3 steps state will follow to return to normal
Gov. Polis spoke of a return to normalcy happening in three steps or phases. We are currently remain in the 'urgent' phase (step 1). The virus will be a part of our lives for a while, even as we move out of this phase, and we need to learn how to live with it. The 'stabilization' phase (step 2) will last a while, the Governor said. He then said that the development of vaccines and treatment will ultimately determine when the decision is made to move into the ‘recovery’ phase (step 3).
2:35 p.m. | Next few days will be "critical" to determine plateau
Gov. Polis said the next few days will be "critical" in determining if we've reached a plateau and are headed downward in terms of new cases. Polis said the state is integrating data to conceptualize how much social distancing is needed to work toward reopening economy.
2:15 p.m | Gov. Polis to provide latest on COVID-19 at 2 p.m.
2:15 p.m | Gov. Polis to provide latest on COVID-19 at 2 p.m.
Watch News5 on a streaming device
9 a.m.| Colorado health department issues preliminary look at COVID-19 demographic data
The COVID-19 disease is affecting Hispanic, African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Coloradans at higher rates proportionately than other ethnic groups here, according to preliminary data from the state.
COVID-19 cases among Hispanic Coloradans comprise about 28% of the reported cases in the state though they make up about 22% of the state’s population, and about 7% of cases are among African American Coloradans despite making up just 4% of the state’s population.
8:45 a.m.| IRS launches website that allows Americans to track their coronavirus stimulus checks
The IRS has launched a website that allows Americans to track the status of their stimulus checks. The IRS "Get My Payment" website tells users when they can expect their $1,200 coronavirus stimulus check, and whether the agency needs more information before they send the check along.
5:35 a.m.|New data shows the COVID-19 curve flattening in El Paso County
There is new COVID-19 tracking data offering some encouraging perspective. "Meaningful data, meaningful statistics that don't panic people, but allow them to understand what's going on and what we're doing and why,” said Deputy Medical Director Dr. Leon Kelly. COVID-19 data specific to southern Colorado is the work of analysts with El Paso County Public Health.
5:20 a.m.| Coronavirus relief checks won’t have to be repaid, feds say
Videos and online reports claiming that millions of Americans will have to repay the relief checks they receive from the federal government under the $2.2 trillion coronavirus economic recovery bill are not true.
The government began issuing the one-time payments this week. The checks will be directly deposited into bank accounts or mailed to households, depending on how you’ve filed your tax returns in the past.
Download the News5 App | Watch News5 on a streaming device
RELATED:
Complete coronavirus coverage
Coronavirus related closures
Complete coronavirus coverage
Module
Get the latest from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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.
People who have general questions about coronavirus disease 2019 can call CO HELP at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911 for answers in many languages. Email COHELP@RMPDC.org for answers in English.
Module
Module
