Logan County’s community COVID-19 cases surpass prison outbreak
Statewide spread results in changes to public health order limiting gathering sizes
Logan County’s COVID-19 data crossed a notable threshold this week: There have now been more cases in the community than among the inmate population at Sterling Correctional Facility.
An outbreak at the prison that was first identified in April resulted in a large spike in Logan County’s case numbers; however, that data largely has been tracked separately from those among the community. The SCF outbreak remains on the state’s list of active outbreaks, as the facility has yet to go 28 straight days without adding another case. However, most of the new cases associated with the facility since May have been among staf f. As of the state’s weekly update on Wednesday, there have been 69 staff members who have tested positive for the disease – three more than the prior report on Oct. 14 — and three who were considered probable for the infection. The facility has had 566 inmates test positive for COVID-19, three of whom have died.
The Northeast Colorado Health Department on Friday repor ted that Logan County has had 580 cumulative cases, excluding incarcerated individuals, after 20 new cases were reported on Thursday. The spike also brought the number of active community cases in the county to its highest level yet: 213. That’s still much lower than May 8, during the height of the SCF outbreak, when there were 384 active cases in all of Logan County, including the prison.
NCHD’S Logan County data also shows five hospitalizations over the last 14 days, up one from the prior time period, and one death. The county has seen 11 deaths total from the disease.
The rising case numbers in Logan County prompted the Colorado Depar tment of Public Health and Environment to move the county back to Safer at Home Level 3 on the state’s COVID-19 dial, making it the only county in the state at that level. Adams County is slated to move to Level 3 on Oct. 28, according to the CDPHE dial dashboard. Yuma County was also moved back a level to Level 2.
The increase in hospitalizations statewide also resulted in changes to the CDPHE Safer at Home public health order to limit personal gatherings in all counties at all Safer at Home levels. The revised order reduces the size of personal gatherings to no more than 10 people from no more than two separate households.
In announcing the changes, CDPHE said
that recent case investigations have pointed to a growing number of new cases are connected to social gatherings and community exposures. “This suggests people have relaxed their precautions and are interacting more closely with a greater number of households,” the release states.
“We are asking all Coloradans to act with an abundance of caution to reverse these worrying trends. Right now, the virus is spreading when people from multiple households attend gatherings. We need to keep gatherings smaller and with people from fewer households — we are asking ever yone to ‘shrink their bubble’ to reduce the spread,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director, CDPHE. “Please take ever y ef for t to reduce contact with members of other households. If you can work remotely, please do so to reduce contact with other individuals. Taking action now can prevent your loved ones from getting sick, and help us save lives and avoid stricter public health orders in the future.”
The amended public health order does not apply to counties that are currently at the Protect Our Neighbors level. Local governments in these counties may continue to determine gathering limits as they see fit, but all Coloradans are strongly encouraged to limit gatherings.
The growth in cases also prompted a message from NCHD urging the public to “Step Up and Step Up Now.”
The local health department noted that 35 counties in the state are now outside the metrics for their assigned levels on the COVID-19 dial. The dial metrics include the number of new cases, the percent of tests administered that come back positive and the average number of hospitalizations per day over a twoweek period.
NCHD warned that if the rate of growth in hospitalizations seen over the last two weeks continues unchecked, the state will reach the same level of hospitalizations as was seen during the April peak.
“The time to make the numbers go down is closing fast and it doesn’t leave us much time to step up and slow the spread,” the NCHD release states. “In addition, it also does not help that we are beginning to see higher levels before we encounter holidays, flu season, increased indoor activity, and other factors that introduce even more risk than what we are currently experiencing.”
According to the NCHD, the more quickly measures to suppress the rate of spread are implemented, the more effective they will be and the greater effect they will have long-term.
“We are asking for everyone to be mindful of ways that you can help reduce the risk of transmission of the virus,” the release states. “We know that masks work, that social distancing works, and we also know that gatherings, where there are a greater number of people, are some of the primary settings in which this virus spreads.
Thoughtfulness on where you choose to go and how often really can make a significant impact on slowing the spread.”
The release notes other changes to the state public health order, including a clarification that counties are not limited to being moved only one level at a time in the dial and that CDPHE reserves the right to move counties in the dial more quickly than the time frames outlined as circumstances warrant.
“In light of the number of increasing cases and rapidly growing demand on hospitals and health care systems, the state may have to exercise their authority to move our counties to tighter restrictions sooner than discussed in previous mitigation plan consultations,” the NCHD warned.