Polis, local leaders urge Coloradans to work…
Polis, local leaders urge Coloradans to work from home as COVID-19 hospitalizations spike
State hospitals on Sunday reported an increase of 91 patients with confirmed coronavirus infections
Lab Technician Matt Hart, with help from Nurse Mary Andriano, left, gives a COVID-19 test to a patient waiting in their car at Sky Ridge Medical Center on Nov. 9, 2020 in Lone Tree.
By Shelly Bradbury | sbradbury@denverpost.com |
PUBLISHED: November 15, 2020 at 5:32 p.m. | UPDATED: November 16, 2020 at 9:14 a.m.
Gov. Jared Polis and local leaders on Sunday urged Coloradans to work from home as much as possible in the coming weeks to stop the spread of the resurgent coronavirus as the state's hospitals reported another new record number of COVID-19 patients.
Colorado's hospitals reported a spike in admitted patients with confirmed coronavirus infections Sunday, with 220 new patients admitted over the last 24 hours and 129 discharged, for a net increase of 91 virus hospitalizations.
A record 1,278 confirmed COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized across the state, according to data released Sunday by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The state on Sunday also reported an additional 21 deaths of people who had been infected with COVID-19.
State officials last week warned that hospitals could be filled to capacity if the coronavirus continues to spread at its current record-setting pace, and on Sunday, Polis released a statement in conjunction with a handful of local government and business leaders that encouraged Coloradans to work from home whenever possible in the coming weeks.
Polis and other leaders have been reluctant to issue new stay-at-home orders even as the virus surges, citing concerns about the economic impacts of a second shutdown, this time without supplemental unemployment benefits available from the federal government.
"Given the public health concerns from Colorado's surge in COVID cases, Aurora will answer the governor's request by making sure that every city employee that can work remotely is working remotely," Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said in his statement.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock joined the statement, as well as officials from Westminster, Lakewood, Boulder and Pueblo, and leaders in Adams, Summit and Routt counties.
Colorado reported 4,183 new coronavirus cases Sunday. The state is seeing more than 4,000 new cases on average every day, and on Sunday reported a 13% positivity rate among those who were tested — much higher than the recommended 5% ceiling. Colorado health officials estimate one in every 110 people in the state is currently contagious with COVID-19.
"Every Coloradan needs to step up and do our part to keep our communities healthy and our economy running," Polis said in the statement.
Shelly Bradbury
Colorado unveils climate plan to cut heat-trapping air pollution by 90%
Colorado prepares for significant increase in COVID-19 vaccine supply after federal changes to rollout