COLORADO SPRINGS — Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Colorado, with the statewide total at 7,303 as of Sunday afternoon, including 290 deaths and 1,417 people hospitalized. Gov. Jared Polis announced the Colorado Mask Project last week to urge anyone who leaves home for essential needs to cover their face with a mask. The recommendation is to create your own with cloth.
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Check here for the latest update on the number of cases, the age, gender and location of presumptive positive, indeterminate and confirmed cases from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Colorado Springs and Pueblo have both set up hotlines for people to call with questions about COVID-19. In Colorado Springs, call 719-575-8888 or the United Way 2-1-1 hotline. In Pueblo, call 719-583-4444.
Below, we're updating this blog with the latest information regarding COVID-19 in Colorado.
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Sunday, April 12
4:00 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers in Colorado
7,303 cases
1,417 hospitalized
56 counties
37,153 people tested**
290 deaths
68 outbreaks at residential and non-hospital health care facilities
Find the latest information from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment here.
11:39 a.m. | Nursing homes deaths soar past 2,600 nationwide in alarming surge
(AP) More than 2,600 deaths have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities nationwide, an alarming rise in just the past two weeks. Because the federal government has not been releasing a count of its own, The Associated Press has kept its own running tally based on media reports and state health departments. The latest count of at least 2,646 deaths is up from about 450 deaths just 10 days ago. Experts say even that is likely an undercount because most state numbers don’t include those who died without ever being tested for COVID-19. In Colorado, at least 19 deaths have been reported at two Aurora nursing facilities, Cherry Creek Nursing Center and Juniper Village. There have been more than 65 outbreaks of the novel coronavirus at residential and non-hospital health care facilities since COVID-19 arrived in Colorado a little more than a month ago.
10:15 a.m. | IRS deposits first round of coronavirus stimulus checks into bank accounts
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said in a tweet on Saturday that it has deposited its first wave of coronavirus stimulus checks into the bank accounts of qualifying Americans. The money is from the $2.2 trillion stimulus package passed by Congress that is aimed at keeping Americans and the economy afloat during the COVID-19 crisis.
10:01 a.m. | UK's Johnson leaves hospital as virus deaths exceed 10,000
(AP) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has expressed his gratitude to the staff of the National Health Service for saving his life when his experience with the coronavirus could have “gone either way.” Johnson said in a video posted on Twitter after his discharge from St. Thomas’ Hospital in London on Sunday that it was “hard to find the words” to express his debt of gratitude. He named in particular two nurses who stood by his bedside for 48 hours. Johnson’s office said in a statement that he would continue his recovery at the prime minister’s country house. On Sunday, the U.K. became the fourth European country to surpass 10,000 virus-related deaths.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
4:00 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers in Colorado
6,893 cases*
1,376 hospitalized
56 counties
34,873 people tested**
274 deaths
67 outbreaks at residential and non-hospital health care facilities
Find the latest information from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment here.
3:30 p.m. | Gov. Polis issues new executive order
Governor Polis issued a new executive order suspending some regulations for juvenile justice, regional centers, and behavioral health due to COVID-19.
Read the complete order here.
11:22 a.m. | Emergency alert issued as reminder for stay-at-home extension
The Colorado Department of Emergency Management sent a phone alert to residents Saturday morning to remind them that the stay-at-home order has been extended. The original stay-at- home order was in effect until Saturday April 11. It was extended to April 26 by Gov. Jared Polis this week. The alert was issued as an official reminder of the extension, the department tweeted.
10:54 a.m. | US death toll closes in on Italy's as Midwest braces
(AP) The U.S. is moving closer to overtaking Italy for the highest death toll in the world from the coronavirus, as Chicago and other cities across the Midwest brace for a potential surge in victims and moved to snuff out smoldering hot spots of contagion before they erupt. With the New York metropolitan still deep in crisis, fear is mounting over the spread of the virus into the nation’s heartland. Twenty-four residents of an Indiana nursing home hit by COVID-19 have died. Chicago’s Cook County has set up a temporary morgue that can take more than 2,000 bodies. And Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been going around telling groups of people to “break it up.”
Friday, April 10, 2020
9:00 p.m. | Rob Quirk one-on-one with Gov. Polis
Rob Quirk had the chance to speak exclusively and extensively "One On One" with Governor Jared Polis Friday night about the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has now taken 250 lives, with more than 6,500 cases and counting.
The governor spoke on several topics, including News5 viewer questions that ranged from acquiring more supplies and tests to the state finally making it a priority to report publicly on the number of people who have recovered from the virus or discharged from hospitals.
5:00 p.m. | El Paso County, Teller County Courts to remain closed through May 1
The county courthouses in El Paso and Teller Counties will remain closed through May 1 under a new order from the Chief Judge.
According to the order, the Courthouse Clerk's Offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. only to handle filings related to public safety matters.
That includes petitions for protection orders and emergency risk protection orders, juvenile detention and advisement hearings, shelter hearings in dependency and neglect cases, petitions to appoint an emergency guardian or special conservator, motions to restict parenting time, emergency mental health proceedings, probably cause in dog impoundment/dangerous dog cases, and others deemed necessary by the Chief Judge.
3:45 p.m. | UFCW Local 7 president calls for 7-day closure, more changes at JBS
UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova identified the second victim at the JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley as Eduardo Conchas de la Cruz, 60. She said at least 42 union members who work at JBS and eight non-union employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and are currently hospitalized. But she said the union believes there “may be significantly more individuals at the plant who are carrying the virus but may either by asymptomatic, not tested, or afraid to come forward as they are not eligible for sick pay.”
On Friday, Cordova sent a letter to Gov. Jared Polis, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment Executive Director Dr. Mark Wallace and JBS Labor Relations Manager Matthew Lovell demanding that the plant be closed immediately for at least seven days to be deep-cleaned.
She also demanded that after a closure and cleaning, employees be provided proper PPE, grant the union regular access to the plant, provide reports on epidemiological inspections and other inspections and that the plant implement host of other spacing and cleanliness measures.
She also demanded hazard play for union employees and fully-paid wages for anyone who has to isolate due to the virus.
“We fully understand the seriousness of a plant closure and its economic impact. However, safety must take precedence over profits. As you are no doubt aware, a number of plants throughout the United States have now been closed because of the spread of the COVID-19 virus among their workforce. One death is a tragedy – two deaths at the same plant is simply beyond human understanding. With regret, we have no option but to conclude that the time for collaborative efforts has ceased. JBS has left us with no alternative,” Cordova wrote.
“Talk is cheap – workers’ lives are not. We look forward to your very prompt response and immediate action. The lives of Mr. Sanchez and Mr. Conchas de la Cruz, our 3,000 plus members at the plant and the general public in Greely demand no less,” she added
3:45 p.m. | Survive & Thrive COS seeking mentors for Emergency Business Relief Fund
The Survive & Thrive COS Emergency Business Relief Fund is seeking mentors to volunteer with the program.
Mentors are critical to helping local small businesses and nonprofits awarded Survive & Thrive loans navigate the uncertainties of the pandemic’s impact on their current needs and future success.
For more information on the program and to apply click here.
1:45 p.m. | Gunnison County: Some non-resident homeowners exempt from order
Gunnison County officials on Friday said 199 non-resident homeowners who were in the county before the coronavirus outbreak have been exempted from the county's public health order. The order prohibits non-residents from the county, including those who might own homes. But the non-residents who were already in the county in February have been exempted from the order.
"At the same time, almost all requests for waivers for travel into our valley by non-resident homeowners have been denied," officials said Friday.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday wrote a letter to Gunnison County officials asking them to modify the order so Texas residents who own homes in the county can be there.
1 p.m.| Polis reveals website to help Coloradans honor stay-at-home order
Polis said this is a website where people can find resources that will help people stay at home. It will serve as a resource to find food, financial, housing or health resources. To visit their website, click here.
12:58 p.m.| Polis says Colorado Convention Center in Denver can hold 2,000 patients
The center will be focused on those who have the virus and are contagious, but do not need serious medical care. "We need to prepare for a realistic bad-case scenario model," Polis said.
5:35 a.m.| IRS: Nearly 300 tax Filing, payment and administrative deadlines extended
The IRS announced on Thursday that nearly 300 filing, payment and administrative deadlines are being pushed back amid the spread of COVID-19. This is in conjunction with a previously announced guidance that called for the general tax deadline for Americans to be pushed back from April 15 by three months.
5:15 a.m.| Teachers adjusting to e-learning during closure
With public schools closed since mid-March, teachers and administrators in southern Colorado schools are encouraging students to continue their lessons through e-learning where lessons are recorded on video and school materials can be accessed online.
However, a fairly large number of local students lack either internet access or a home computer to download those lessons.
5 a.m. | "What if we should just close?" Thoughts of small business owners during pandemic
Business owners across the country are having to make tough decisions, to ensure they can stay afloat once all of the 2019 novel coronavirus closures come to an end.
News5 learned about some innovative ways local small business owners have altered their business models to stay open, and how they are doing mentally during this uncertain time.
Thursday, April 9, 2020
4:45 p.m. | D11 to distribute grab-and-go lunches to 5 new neighborhood locations
Colorado Springs School District 11 has announced five new neighborhood locations, in addition to their 12 school site, that will be distributing grab-and-go lunches.
The distribution will occur at the same time, between 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and is open to anyone in need of a meal ages 18 and under.
4:30 p.m. | Clear Creek County will shut down all county roads to non-residents to curb outdoor activity
Clear Creek County commissioners on Thursday voted to close all county roads to non-residents, beginning 12:01 a.m. Saturday, as officials hope to reduce activity in the county during the coronavirus outbreak.
Commissioners Randy Wheelock and George Marlin voted in favor of the move, while Commissioner Sean Wood opposed it. The order from commissioners Thursday will only apply to county roads, not U.S. 6 and Interstate 70 and city streets.
4:20 p.m. | Pueblo County health experts believe positive cases for COVID-19 much higher than confirmed
As Pueblo County’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 approaches 50, public health officials expect the numbers of Puebloans who have contracted the virus to be much higher.
“I expect COVID-19 is widespread in the community. Based on state modeling we could have as many as ten times that number or close to 500 people who have the virus,” said Randy Evetts, public health director at the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment. “As people with positive and presumed positive COVID-19 increase, it becomes more critical for people to stay at home and minimize activities in the community. You are at a risk anywhere you go because people who have the virus but are not showing symptoms may go to the same places you do and be in contact with what you touch,” said Evetts. “Thus, it is important to protect yourself.”
4:15 p.m. | New Pueblo County COVID-19 numbers
Public health officials from the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment announced today one additional COVID-19 cases in Pueblo County. The additional case is a 26-year-old male.
Pueblo County now has a total of 49 confirmed positive cases among Pueblo County residents.
4:00 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers in Colorado
6,202 cases*
1,221 hospitalized
56 counties
31,180 people tested**
226 deaths
54 outbreaks at residential and non-hospital health care facilities
There are almost 500 new cases in less than 24 hours in Colorado
3:35 p.m. | Air Force Academy making own masks
According to the U.S. Air Force Academy, senior cadets who have stayed at the Air Force Academy to complete their bachelor’s degree during the COVID-19 outbreak will get face masks before the weekend.
Tailors at the Academy are making the 10-inch by 6-inch cotton masks at the cadet tailor shop in Sijan Hall.
3:30 p.m. | Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment confirms 14 deaths at facility in Greeley
The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed that there have been 14 deaths related to COVID-19 among residents at the Centennial Health Care Center in Greeley – information first reported by The Colorado Sun, which also reports there have been three more deaths at the facility whose tests have not been confirmed. As of Wednesday's data release, there were outbreaks at 48 residential and non-hospital health care facilities in Colorado.
3:00 p.m. | El Paso County updates
Businesses in the Enterprise Zone will have acess to grants up to $7,500 for critical needs like rent or mortgate assistance, utility payments, employee payroll, accounts payable, and more.
The Pikes Peak Enterprise Zone (EZ) Business Relief Fund has been established to help small, locally-owned businesses facing layoffs and closures to sustain operations and maintain their workforce. It is community based and grant funded, and those who donate $100 or more qualify for an EZ 25% state income tax credit.
El Paso County parks, trails, and open spaces remain open during the COVID-19 crisis, but residents are reminded to maintain physical distancing when they use those areas.
El Paso County parks, trails, and open spaces remain open during the COVID-19 crisis, but residents are reminded to maintain physical distancing when they use those areas.
Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging offers resources and tips for older adults.
County Parks also reminds visotirs to the Paint Mines Interpretive Park that climbing on hoodoo formations is never permitted, and dogs, bikes, and horses are not allowed at that park. Parks officials have noticed overuse of Paint Mines and are encouraging people to use other county park sites.
Help Colorado Now has an Innovation Response Team and is looking for private sector companies and people to partner on projects addressing emerging challenges in Colorado due to COVID-19. They are looking for software engineers, developers, and date scientists, as well as companies with supply or manufacturing capabilities for personal protective equipment. They're also looking for people willing to volunteer their company or individual professional expertise.
1:15 p.m.| Pueblo implementing mail-in ballots for election
For Pueblo County's coordinated election on May 5, voters will have to send in mail-in ballots to participate. The county announced it will not be opening its Voter Service and Polling Centers. Ballots will be mailed to registered voters. In order to check if your address is up-to-date, click here.
1:05 p.m.| King Soopers extending hours to limit customers in stores
King Soopers announced beginning Monday, April 13, they will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to help limit the amount of customers in their stores at one time. With this change, they are also extending their senior hours from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
10:50 a.m. | Prowers County reports first positive case of COVID-19
According to a release, testing is going on in the county, with a priority given to healthcare workers and first responders. Prowers County Public Health and Environment confirms that one person has tested positive for the virus. They have been in isolation since they were testing.
Those who have been in contact with this person have been notified, the department said. Details on the patient's age and gender is not available.
As new numbers come in this afternoon at 4p.m., the addition of Prowers County brings the total number of jurisdictions impacted to 55. For the latest updates in Colorado, click here for the state's COVID-19 site.
10:00 a.m. | KOAA to carry Easter Mass from St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York
As we look ahead towards an Easter weekend of social distancing, KOAA-TV will air and livestream Easter Mass from St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, as part of a partnership between the Archdiocese of New York and the E.W. Scripps Company. KOAA-TV will carry the event from 10 to 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Timothy Cardinal Dolan Archbishop of New York will celebrate Mass without a congregation present due to the coronavirus outbreak. The masses will also be available on koaa.com and on streaming platforms such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, and Facebook Live.
If your local congregation is carrying a livestream of services this weekend, please let us know via digitalproducer@koaa.com and we'll spread the word.
8:15 a.m. | CEA asks for more support from Gov. Polis
The Colorado Education Association has formally asked for Gov. Polis to do more to help students and educators during the pandemic. More than 3,200 members have called on him to take more steps to help them.
8:15 a.m. | CEA asks for more support from Gov. Polis
“We readily acknowledge the governor has shown brave and decisive leadership through this crisis,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association.
Baca-Oehlert said the state’s decision to close schools, cancel standardized testing and waive requirements for educator evaluations have helped, but aren't enough.
“Now we are calling on the governor to do more," Baca-Oehlert said. "Our state's lower income and vulnerable populations need more. Our educators and students need more."
Among other things, the petition requests that Polis:
--Cease all ICE-related arrests
--Have ICE to release nonviolent offenders
--Provide firm direction to school districts that are usually accustomed to having a great amount of local control in making decisions
--Provide firm direction to school districts that are usually accustomed to having a great amount of local control in making decisions
--Have ICE to release nonviolent offenders
--Provide firm direction to school districts that are usually accustomed to having a great amount of local control in making decisions
7:55 a.m. | Staying at home is helping CDOT roadwork get done
The impact of COVID-19 is far-reaching as closures, and cancellations can be seen across our communities, but some of the essential work that continues is along Colorado's roads. News5 learned less traffic is giving CDOT more flexibility with schedules helping to get the work done
The spread of coronavirus has interrupted the lives of people across the nation. Here in Colorado, crews along our state's highways and roads continue to work. While they agree this is a very difficult time for our country, they say less traffic is actually making their work zone safer and it's allowing them to have more flexibility with their schedules.
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7:52 a.m. | News 5 Investigates: $15 sanitizer sold in Pueblo is mislabeled and looks like water
7:52 a.m. | News 5 Investigates: $15 sanitizer sold in Pueblo is mislabeled and looks like water
It's no secret that people are using the coronavirus pandemic to make money by marking up items like Clorox wipes, face masks, gloves and hand sanitizer. News 5 Investigates went undercover last week to catch people price gouging critical medical supplies.
Now we've learned that a street vendor in Pueblo has been selling small bottles of hand sanitizer for $15. However, News 5 Investigates found a bigger problem with the labeling on the sanitizer sold at the corner of Santa Fe Drive and Aspen in Pueblo. Read more on this News 5 investigation
7:30 a.m. | Total number of initial unemployment claims filed in Colorado last week
7:30 a.m. | Total number of initial unemployment claims filed in Colorado last week
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said 46,065 initial unemployment claims were filed for the week ending on Saturday, April 4. Over the past three weeks, 127,393 of these claims were filed, the department said.
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said 46,065 initial unemployment claims were filed for the week ending on Saturday, April 4. Over the past three weeks, 127,393 of these claims were filed, the department said.
The U.S. Department of Labor said this morning that 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment claims last week, meaning about 16 million people have applied for unemployment in the past three weeks.
The U.S. Department of Labor said this morning that 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment claims last week, meaning about 16 million people have applied for unemployment in the past three weeks.
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RELATED:
Complete coronavirus coverage
Coronavirus related closures
Complete coronavirus coverage
Coronavirus related closures
Coronavirus related closures
Click here for the latest update on the number of cases, the age, gender and location of presumptive positive, indeterminate and confirmed cases from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
People who have general questions about coronavirus disease 2019 can call CO HELP at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911 for answers in many languages. Email COHELP@RMPDC.org for answers in English.
People who have general questions about coronavirus disease 2019 can call CO HELP at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911 for answers in many languages. Email COHELP@RMPDC.org for answers in English.
People who have general questions about coronavirus disease 2019 can call CO HELP at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911 for answers in many languages. Email COHELP@RMPDC.org for answers in English.
