Huerfano, Las Animas counties order quarantine for residents who travel, bans visitors

LAS ANIMAS COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- People in Huerfano and Las Animas counties are under a new directive from the area public health department: if you traveled to certain parts of Colorado, you've got to self-quarantine for 14 days.

The order also prohibits out of state and out of town travelers from staying within the counties.

That was in a directive ordered by public health officials in Huerfano and Las Animas counties. Before Thursday, the two counties had largely been untouched by the COVID-19 outbreak in Colorado.

Huerfano County and Las Animas County both combined have two confirmed cases of the virus.

"We want to be proactive not reactive in this situation," said Kim Gonzales, the Director of the Las Animas Huerfano District Health Department. "“I don’t think I consider it drastic I feel that it’s a very aggressive approach.”

The order states any visitors in the communities should return safely to their county of residence, in a very safe and timely manner. The prohibition of travelers does not mean drivers will be pulled over along I-25 by State Troopers for entering the two counties.

As for the residents who live in Las Animas or Huerfano Counties, anyone who travels to a 'COVID-19 hotspot' and returns will be asked to self quarantine for 14 days.

Health officials consider any area with ten or more confirmed cases of the virus to be a hot spot. This includes both Pueblo and El Paso Counties.

Gonzales is calling on the communities of both counties to voluntarily comply.

“This is all new territory for public health," said Gonzales. "We are still working on how we are going to enforce this or police this."

Despite not showing any symptoms so far the Trinidad Police Department has begun quarantining one of their own officers for 14 days.

The officer is believed to have been in contact with the one confirmed case of COVID-19 within Las Animas county.