Coronavirus In CO & Northern NM-April 13 Updates: Pueblo Announces Outbreak In Long-Term Facility

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Update-8:15 p.m.

---Pueblo D70 Suspends Meal Program---

Pueblo School District 70 is suspending its school lunch program for two weeks after a food service worker was possibly exposed to COVID-19. 

According to school officials, the worker reported symptoms to a doctor over the weekend and followed guidelines to self-quarantine. The district says the person is being treated at a local hospital.. and it's recommending its food service workers self-isolate for two weeks.

Meals with the district are scheduled to resume on April 27, pending results and recommendations from the state health department.

Meantime, the district is offering this guide for help finding food and other resources.

Update-4:00 p.m.

---COVID-19 Outbreak In Long-Term Care Facility In Pueblo---

Brookdale El Camino long-term care facility in Pueblo has an outbreak of COVID-19. The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment announced Monday the facility has four staff members and six residents who have tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the health department, one employee tested positive in late March. Brookdale El Camino notified family and staff. A week later, a resident who was not linked to the original positive case, tested positive. The following week, several other employees and residents tested positive for COVID-19.

The facility has not allowed visitors since mid-March.

---Baby Supplies Delivered To Colorado---

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has delivered $3 million in infant supplies to Colorado, including 8200 cases of formula, 23,260 packages of diapers, and 53,167 packages of diaper wipes.

The supplies will go toward families unable to find resources to meet basic needs and are experiencing poverty. They'll also go to child care providers taking part in the Emergency Child Care Collaborative, which provides childcare for essential workers. 

Distribution sites include food banks and Family Resource Centers throughout the state.

---Updated Data From The Colorado Department Of Public Health And Environment---

Data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shows 7691 known cases of COVID-19 in the state. That includes both positive tests and people who have been in contact with someone who tested positive and is exhibiting symptoms of the disease.

1493 people are hospitalized and 308 people have died. There are 72 known outbreaks in at residential and non-hospital healthcare facilities. Nearly 39,000 people have been tested according to the state, but not all negative tests may be represented in that number.

Data is complete through Sun., April 12.

In Southern and Southeastern Colorado counties, known cases of COVID-19 are the following:

  • El Paso – 641 (+28 from the day before)
  • Douglas – 304 (+6)
  • Pueblo – 64* (+1)
  • Chaffee – 41*
  • Elbert – 16
  • Teller – 16 
  • Baca – 10
  • Kit Carson – 8
  • Fremont – 8 (+1)
  • Alamosa – 7
  • Otero – 5
  • Costilla – 3
  • Custer – 2 
  • Las Animas – 2
  • Crowley – 2 
  • Lincoln – 2 (+1) 
  • Huerfano – 1
  • Prowers – 1
  • Kiowa – 0 

*The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment reported 63 cases of COVID-19 in the county, which includes three cases not reflected in the state data due to the collection period. Chaffee County is also reporting data not yet reflected in the state tabulation.

Additionally, Colfax County in Northern New Mexico is reporting its second known case of COVID-19. The county had long been without anyone who tested positive, but in a matter of days now has two known cases. Nearby Taos County has recorded 15 known cases. New Mexico itself has more than 1300 known cases of COVID-19 and has recorded 31 deaths, mostly in the vicinity of Albuquerque.

Update-1:05 p.m.: 

---Gov. Polis Says Colorado Will Soon Provide Additional Information, Including Racial Data---

Gov. Jared Polis began his first COVID-19 update of the week with the announcement that two pieces of information that the public has clamored for will soon be available.

The state will soon release racial data and feel that they have 75 percent of the total information, but not all of it has been collected. Additionally, the state will also start to report hospital discharges of patients whose condition has improved.

Read more from our news partner CPR.org.

---Harrison School District Two Cancels In-Person Classes For Remainder Of Academic Year---

Harrison School District Two has canceled in-person classes for the rest of the academic year. Remote learning will continue through May 21. 

Food service will continue. 

The district says it's working on plans for graduations and year-end celebrations. 

---Relief Fund Grants Nearly $650,000 To Pikes Peak Area Nonprofits---

The Pikes Peak Community Relief Fund has distributed to nearly 40 nonprofits a total of close to $650,000.

The fund is in partnership with the Pikes Peak Community Foundation (PPCF), Pikes Peak United Way, and the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management. 

Still, PPCF says the need exceeds available funds. You can donate here.

---Latest Data From The Colorado Department Of Public Health And Environment---

Data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shows 7303 known cases of COVID-19 in the state. That includes both positive tests and people who have been in contact with someone who tested positive and is exhibiting symptoms of the disease.

1417 people are hospitalized and 290 people have died. There are 68 known outbreaks in at residential and non-hospital healthcare facilities. More than 37,000 people have been tested according to the state, but not all negative tests may be represented in that number.

Data is complete through Sat., April 11.

In Southern and Southeastern Colorado counties, known cases of COVID-19 are the following:

  • El Paso – 613
  • Douglas – 298
  • Pueblo – 63*
  • Chaffee – 41*
  • Elbert – 16
  • Teller – 16 
  • Baca – 10
  • Kit Carson – 8
  • Alamosa – 7
  • Fremont – 7
  • Otero – 5
  • Costilla – 3
  • Custer – 2 
  • Las Animas – 2
  • Crowley – 2 
  • Huerfano – 1
  • Lincoln – 1 
  • Prowers – 1
  • Kiowa – 0 

*The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment reported 63 cases of COVID-19 in the county, which includes three cases not reflected in the state data due to the collection period. Chaffee County is also reporting data not yet reflected in the state tabulation.

Additionally, Colfax County in Northern New Mexico recently reported its first known case of COVID-19. The county had long been without known cases. Nearby Taos County has recorded 15 known cases. New Mexico itself has more than 1200 known cases of COVID-19, and has recorded 26 related deaths, mostly in the vicinity of Albuquerque.

See yesterday's updates here.