State reports at least 832 deaths related to virus

Colorado reported as many as 832 deaths from the new coronavirus Saturday as confirmed positive cases surpassed 16,000.

There have been 2,793 people hospitalized since the outbreak was first confirmed in the state in March, but only 737 people were in Colorado hospitals with symptoms of the illness as of Friday afternoon, state data shows. At least 67 people since Friday either went home or were transferred to a lower level of care, such as a rehabilitation facility.

At least 16,225 people have tested positive for or are believed to have COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory illness caused by the virus — although health officials say the true number is likely far higher.

Officials recorded 3,334 tests on Friday, as the state ramps up its capabilities to better track the virus as businesses slowly reopen. The total of 58.7 tests per 100,000 people per day still falls well short of the 152 per 100,000 each day pegged by health experts as necessary to safely monitor the outbreak.

The increased testing has been particularly focused on senior living facilities, where outbreaks reached 163 Saturday — two more than the previous day.

One of these facilities, the Veteran’s Community Living Center at Fitzsimons in Aurora, confirmed another resident had died and 13 more people living at the center had tested positive for COVID-19, the Colorado Department of Human services said in a news release.

The veterans’ nursing home had previously announced two deaths and seven residents had the new coronavirus.

The state health department announces new totals daily of coronavirus deaths and confirmed cases based on what’s reported by Colorado’s counties; although 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.

Health officials also announced Saturday that a second machine that can sanitize up to 80,000 masks per day will be placed at the Montrose County Fairgrounds to help keep health care workers safe as they battle the pandemic.

The Battelle Critical Care Decontamination Systems decontaminates N95 respirators, with a single respirator able to be reused up to 20 times without degradation. The state placed the first machine at the Adams County Fairgrounds on April 23.