WEDNESDAY COVID-19 UPDATE: Latest Garfield County statistics and risk levels
AS OF WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18
Cumulative cases: 1,807
New cases reported since Monday: 63
Deaths since outbreak began: 6
Current Score: High Risk-Red
Current Restrictions: Concern–Yellow (see current measures in place below)
Recent 14-day case totals: Nov. 5-18 – 395; Oct. 22-Nov. 4 – 204; Oct. 7-21– 130
Daily case average: 28.2
Two-week incidence rate: 659.8 per 100,000 people (<75 preferred)
Test positivity rate: 12.4% (<5% preferred)
Days in last 2 weeks of declining/stable hospitalizations: 9 (closer to 14 the better)
Community spread: 43% (lower the better)
Days before seeking testing: 3.2 (within 48 hours advised)
Test turn-around time: 3 days (2 days preferred)
Percent of cases interviewed within 24 hours: 62% (higher the better)
Source: Garfield County Public Health
ACTIVE OUTBREAKS IN GARFIELD COUNTY
E. Dene Moore Care Center, Rifle: Date determined, 11/13 (updated 11/18); 9 residents and 9 staff confirmed positive; active investigation, facility on lockdown
Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home, Rifle: Date determined, 11/3 (updated 11/18); 6 confirmed resident cases and 3 probable; 3 confirmed staff cases and 2 probable; active investigation, facility on lockdown.
Garfield County Community Corrections, Rifle: Date determined, 10/19 (updated 11/18); 6 positive and 3 probable resident cases, and 2 positive and 1 probable staff; facility in quarantine and several clients furloughed.
Berthod Motors, Glenwood Springs: Date determined, 10/21 (updated 11/18); 3 confirmed staff cases, 2 probable; active investigation.
Source: Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
HOSPITAL STATS
Valley View Hospital, 11/17/2020
Specimens collected through Valley View — 13,337 (+576 since 11/12)
Positive results — 752 (+78 since 11/12)
Pending results — 100
Hospitalizations since outbreak began — 96 (+6 since 11/12)
Patients discharged (incl. transfers and deceased) — 80
Grand River Hospital, 11/17/2020
Specimens collected through Grand River Health — 4,825 (+225 since 11/12)
Positive results — 456 (+61 since 11/12)
Pending results — 102
Hospitalizations since outbreak began — 18 (+3 since 11/12)
Patients discharged — 9
Patients transferred — 5
Source: Hospital statistics released twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday
Garfield County Public Health Nov. 13 advisory
Holiday Gatherings: The holidays are about family, and no one wants to be sick or in the hospital, especially this time of year. Keep the holidays small and before you gather, take a 14-day break; limiting non-essential outings and get-togethers, and make a promise to wear masks and stay distanced. Take care of those that you love by not sharing illness. It’s far too easy to spread COVID. While most people recover, some have lasting health impacts that alter normal life for many months.
Make quarantine plan before it happens/what does quarantine really mean?
With a high volume of COVID spread in the community it is important to make your COVID plan now, before you or someone in your family is affected. We need people to begin to think about their personal COVID plan. What will you do if you receive a COVID exposure notification or are told to quarantine?
Quarantine means:
• The person should not go to stores, school, social gatherings, sports, or church for the full 14-day period. It is all right to spend time outside, but if you encounter others who are not in your household, stay six feet away and wear a mask.
• Quarantine only ends after the 14-day period when no symptoms have started or if COVID symptoms develop. If symptoms develop, get tested within 1-2 days and begin isolation following the CDPHE guidelines.
• Other household members of a person in quarantine are considered “contacts of a contact” and are not required to quarantine. However, everyone should continue to monitor symptoms and seek medical evaluation if symptoms develop.
• Quarantine at home does not mean isolating the person from the rest of the family, but wearing masks and distancing within the home are recommended during this time.
Revised COVID data webpage
The Garfield County COVID-19 Data website has recently been updated to track seven primary factors in determining the risk of disease spread locally, and providing a more-interactive format.
Among the data depicted, the website shows a Garfield County Overall COVID-19 Score, a weekly projection of spread in Garfield County, and where the county stands using the COVID-19 State Dial.
The county Score remains in the “Red-High Risk” level, although the county continues to work with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to remain open at the “Yellow-Concerned” level.
Garfield County’s weights for the measures in the Score are different than those used in the State Dial.
Seven factors are tracked on a daily basis, including the cumulative incidence rate, average test positivity and hospital capacity measures used by the state. Garfield County includes its own assessment of community spread, percent of cases interviewed, days before seeking testing and test-turnaround time.
• Facial Coverings: Required in all settings, indoor or outdoor
• Events: 100 people max indoor |175 people max outdoor
• Private Gatherings/Groups: Limited to 10 people from no more than two households
• Personal Services (Salon, massage, spas, etc.): 50% capacity | 50 people max
• Restaurants: 50% capacity | 175 people max
• Gyms/Fitness/Pools: 50% capacity | 175 people max
• Group/League Sports: 25:1 instructor ratio | parents ok; spectators discouraged
• Museums/Libraries: 50% capacity | 50 people max
• Retail (non-critical): 50% capacity | 50 people max
• Outfitters & Guides: 10:1 guest ratio
• Places of Worship: 50% capacity |175 people max indoor
• Life Rites (funerals, weddings, graduations): 50% capacity | 175 people max indoor | outdoor based on social distancing calculator
Hospitalizations stable
A recent increase in Covid-19 patients at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs is a concern, but the hospital’s capacity remains good, with 13 out of 14 days of stable or declining hospitalizations, according to the county’s data site.
“Unfortunately, our team was expecting this increase and continues to expect an increase in hospitalizations as the number of Covid-19 cases in the community increases,” said Stacey Gavrell, community relations officer for VVH. “I would affirm the importance of everyone working together to slow the transmission of Covid-19 not only for their personal health and well-being but to protect everyone in the community, especially as we enter the holiday season.”
Garfield County’s death total since the start of the outbreak is six.
Garfield County Public Health statistics are updated daily, and hospitals report their latest statistics twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday.
For questions about Covid-19 or any public health concern, email publichealthinfo@garfield-county.com or call 970-625-5200 ext. 8120.
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