Garfield County confirms second case of COVID-19 in as many days
Followup investigation contacts being made
Garfield County has been notified of a second individual who has tested presumptive positive for the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19 — the second local case in as many days as state testing results continue to come in.
The latest case involves a Garfield County woman in her 40s. A case reported to Garfield County Public Health on Saturday involved a 33-year-old woman in the Glenwood Springs area.
Health officials are not disclosing the home town of the person in the latest case.
“Garfield County is in contact with the individual to identify people that may have had close contact with her,” according to a news release sent Sunday at 2:17 p.m. “This is the only information that Public Health has at this time. More information will be released as it becomes available.”
The presumptive positive test came via the testing process overseen by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
Until now, individuals have been considered “presumptive positive” until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms the cases. However, CDPHE announced in a separate release on Sunday afternoon that CDC is no longer performing confirmatory testing.
CDPHE said it has confirmed 30 new positive cases in Colorado, based on overnight test results. That brings the total number of positive cases to date to 131.
“Following CDC, all presumptive positive cases are now considered positive. CDC is no longer performing confirmatory testing,” the release said.
The latest statewide test results include 25 from the state lab and five from private testing facilities that are receiving samples from health care providers.
The state confirms that it has completed test results on 758 people via the state lab since testing started on Feb. 28.
“Private labs are not required to report negative numbers to the state, so we are not reporting total testing numbers for the state,” according to the latest state release
The latest positive tests included the one from Garfield County on Saturday, as well as Arapahoe (3), Boulder (3), Denver (4), Douglas (4), Eagle (4), El Paso (1), Gunnison (2), Jefferson (5), Weld (2), and one the county from which was unknown. All were residents of Colorado, including 19 males and 11 females, according to the release.
COVID-19 is the disease caused by the new coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019. It has since been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, and in the United States by the CDC.
The disease for most people causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness. The vast majority recover.
In the U.S., 57 people have died, including one in Colorado.
Garfield County is currently limiting gatherings of 50 people or more under a Public Health order currently in effect.
Under this order from Eagle, Garfield, and Pitkin counties, Public Health prohibits large gatherings and events of more than 50 people (with special requirements for schools and restaurants).
STANDING PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER RELATED TO EVENTS:
A. All events of more than 50 people or more are prohibited.
B. Events with fewer than 50 attendees are prohibited unless event organizers take the following steps to mitigate risks:
- Older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions that are at increased risk of serious COVID-19 are encouraged not to attend (including employees).
- Social distancing recommendations must be met. These include limiting contact of people within 6 feet from each other for 10 minutes or longer, and any other applicable guidance.
- Employees must be screened for coronavirus symptoms each day and excluded if symptomatic.
- Proper hand hygiene and sanitation must be readily available to all attendees and employees.
- Environmental cleaning guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are followed. (e.g., clean and disinfect high touch surfaces daily or more frequently).
Source: Garfield County Public Health
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