‘Coloradans are very alarmed’ as state see 5% positivity rate for COVID, Polis says

DENVER (KRDO) -- Governor Jared Polis said Tuesday that the state is seeing an alarming positivity rate above 5% for coronavirus cases, with more than 1,000 cases registered last week in one 24-hour period.

On Sept. 4, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said there were 132 confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state. On October 12 there were 288.

“Coloradans are very alarmed by the increased number of very sick people coming into hospitals and know that we must do better with the basics like reducing the number of people we are with, washing our hands, avoiding crowds, and wearing a mask,” Polis said.

Polis warns if this trend continues it could be disastrous for State hospitals. "We've got to get these numbers down and if this trend continues our hospital capacity will be in jeopardy."

As of Tuesday there are 290 hospitalizations across the State which is the highest it's been since May, with nearly 80 percent of Colorado's ICU beds currently taken. For El Paso County there have been 41 hospitalizations so far in October, nearly double the amount we saw during the first two weeks of September.

"That is not where we want to be," says El Paso County Public Health Director Susan Wheelan. She updated County Commissioners on Tuesday about current trends. She says our positivity rate is just under five percent.

"The bad news is there is no single source," Wheelan says. "We cannot blame it on any single source." One likely factor for increases is people are simply growing tired of dealing with COVID-19.

"Let's face it there is pandemic fatigue," Wheelan says. "Our social distancing according to the State epidemiologist has went from 65 percent down to 55 percent statewide." But both Wheelan and Polis say Coloradans really can't afford to let up.

With holidays coming up along with air travel, family gatherings, and cold weather that will drive even more people indoors. All creating a domino effect that will put us further at risk.