Nearly 1,200 people in Colorado have died with COVID-19 in their systems, health officials say

Colorado health officials on Saturday reported 1,192 people have died with COVID-19 in their systems, and that death-certificate data shows 878 deaths were due to the virus.

On Friday, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment revamped the way they report deaths related to the new coronavirus, listing the total number of fatalities in which the person had contracted the virus as well as the number of deaths that can be attributed directly to COVID-19.

There have been 3,866 people hospitalized since the outbreak was first confirmed in the state in early March, though only 517 people were hospitalized with symptoms of the illness as of Saturday afternoon, state data shows. That number is slightly higher than Friday’s total showing 497 people were hospitalized for COVID-19, though it’s still significantly lower than April’s peak in the mid 800s.

At least 36 people since Friday either went home or were transferred to a lower level of care, like a rehabilitation facility.

Additionally, as of Saturday, there were 363 critical care ventilators being used across the state, down from 463 a month ago, according to state data.

More than 21,600 people have tested positive for or are believed to have COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory illness causes by the virus, though health officials have said the true number is likely far higher.

Officials recorded 4,471 tests on Friday as the state ramps up its capabilities to better track the virus. The testing rate — 78.5 tests per 100,000 people per day — has improved drastically since the beginning of the pandemic but remains roughly half of the 152-per-100,000 daily number that health experts say is necessary to safely monitor the outbreak.

Much of the testing has been focused on senior living facilities and other care homes. Officials have confirmed outbreaks at 222 facilities across the state, nine more than the previous day.

The state health department announces new totals daily of coronavirus deaths and confirmed cases based on what’s reported up from Colorado’s counties; though the deaths and positive test results may be announced on a particular day, they may have occurred any time in the past and are just now being reported to the state.

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