COVID-19 Outbreaks Explode at Colorado Schools

At this point in the COVID-19 pandemic, with vaccination rates going up and inoculations now available to anyone over fifteen, officials had hoped that case counts would be in serious decline. But no: This week's roundup of data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shows infections and hospitalizations continuing to rise — and the number of newly identified outbreaks has skyrocketed.

The 170 new outbreak sites in the state listed on the CDPHE's just-released April 28 survey represents a 13.166 percent increase in just seven days — and the spike is paced by an explosion of outbreaks at schools in which the overwhelming majority of positive tests involve students. The 52 outbreaks at K-12 facilities account for well over a quarter of the new outbreaks.

The CDPHE considers an entity an outbreak after two or more COVID-19 cases among residents, staffers or other people connected to a specific location are confirmed within a fourteen-day period, or two or more cases of respiratory illness with an onset of symptoms within a fourteen-day period are paired with at least one additional COVID-19 diagnosis. The vast majority of businesses and facilities identified as outbreaks remain open while working with the department to monitor symptoms and prevent future infections.

The state has been issuing its weekly outbreaks surveys for over a year. The first, issued on April 15, 2020, listed 83 outbreak sites, less than half the number of new outbreaks on this week's roster. On April 28, the CDPHE listed 779 outbreaks under active investigation and 4,112 considered resolved, or 4,891 combined. since the start of the pandemic. The April 21 report counted 4,721 — 722 active and 3,999 resolved.

Read more: https://www.westword.com/news/covid-19-k-12-school-outbreaks-explode-colorado-april-2021-11955780