COVID-19 outbreaks up for first time since early June

The number of active COVID19 outbreaks in Colorado increased this week for the first time since June, but growth in cases and deaths associated with those clusters remained relatively modest.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 178 active coronavirus outbreaks between July 8 and

Wednesday, up from 169 the week before. The number had been falling each week since June 3. The state defines an outbreak as at least two cases linked to a common place or event.

This comes as Colorado has seen four consecutive weeks of increasing COVID-19 infections, as well as a recent increase in hospitalizations for the respiratory disease.

Total cases linked to the state’s outbreaks passed the 10,000 mark in the latest report, increasing 3.7%. That’s the highest rate of increase in three weeks, but well below May, when cases were increasing by at least 20% most weeks.

The largest new outbreak was at the Buena Vista Correctional Complex, where 35 prisoners and four staff members tested positive.

Other notable new outbreaks were:

• Colorado Academy summer camp, Lakewood: 21 cases

• Denver Water department: 11 cases

• Colorado Springs airport: 5 cases

Deaths tied to outbreaks increased by 2.3% last week, to 987. The rate of growth was higher than in the previous two weeks, but down from June levels.

The lower growth in deaths, compared to cases, may reflect that outbreaks have shifted from

long-term care and residential health facilities to settings like restaurants and offices. Older people with medical conditions are at the highest risk of dying from the new virus, though it has also killed younger people.

It’s not clear if the trend of lower growth in deaths will continue, though. Residential health facilities, like nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, accounted for 11% of all outbreaks in June, but that’s risen to 20% so far in July.

If the virus begins to spread widely again in places where vulnerable people live close together, deaths could increase.

In the week ending Wednesday, the state reported five new outbreaks in residential facilities, including four serving older people and one specializing in addiction treatment for teens and young adults. There were seven new outbreaks in restaurants, two in hotels and one each in a church, a pet food plant and a child care center.

The largest outbreaks still considered ongoing were:

• Sterling Correctional

Facility: 603 cases, three deaths

• Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center, Denver: 426 cases, zero deaths

• JBS meatpacking plant, Greeley: 286 cases, six deaths

• Cherry Creek Nursing Center, Aurora: 159 cases, 34 deaths

• Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs: 144 cases, 26 deaths

• Mountain Vista Health Center, Wheat Ridge: 137 cases, 32 deaths

• Steven Roberts Original Desserts, Aurora: 132 cases, one death

• Cargill meat facility, Fort Morgan: 108 cases, four deaths

The number of resolved outbreaks — places where the state believes the virus is no longer spreading — increased from 215 last week to 237 this week.