Kids' Cases of COVID-19 Dominate New Outbreaks Report

The total new COVID-19 outbreaks announced by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is less than half the size of last week's list. But this upbeat development is tempered by the number of outbreaks involving children and younger teens, a demographic for which no vaccine is available at this time. The entries also include the state's first "bus outbreak" — in this case, an outbreak on a school bus.

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 latest report, updated on February 17, lists 829 outbreaks under active investigation and 2,945 considered resolved, for a total of 3,774 since the start of the pandemic. That's just 73 more than the February 10 total (895 active and 2,806 resolved, adding up to 3,701), and represents a much smaller increase than the 124 outbreaks added on February 3.

Even better, only six new sites in the health-care category popped up, with just five related to senior care — another indication that vaccinating residents and employees at such facilities first is paying major dividends.

In contrast, seventeen outbreaks associated with K-12 schools were appended to the active rundown. Among them is that bus outbreak, tied to the Douglas County School District, in which two students were infected. Outbreaks at school district transportation hubs have happened in the past (six in November alone), but previously, most positive cases were limited to staff — although two attendee cases were also noted in an Academy District 20 transportation department incident in El Paso County that's now resolved. An important note about the school outbreaks: Whereas staff infections once outpaced those involving students, that's no longer the case.

There are other outbreaks linked to kids, too. Seven fall under the youth sports/activities umbrella, led by one at 5280 Gymnastics in Littleton in which a stunning 44 attendee cases have been identified. And there's been another flare-up of college-related outbreaks: a social gathering involving MSU/Denver athletes, plus spread among members of the University of Northern Colorado men's basketball and track-and-field teams.

Oh, and Kroger and Walmart, the two chains with the most COVID-19 outbreaks as of our February update, are represented once again. A Summit County City Market grocery store and two Walmarts in El Paso County have joined this unfortunate club.

The 73 new outbreaks, plus one more entry tweaked by the CDPHE, are detailed below, along with the date when they were first identified and the number and type of people impacted.

1. 5280 Gymnastics, LLC Littleton, Youth Sports/Activities, Jefferson County, 2/5/2021, 10 staff cases, 44 attendee cases
2. 5280 Gymnastics, LLC Wheat Ridge, Youth Sports/Activities, Jefferson County, 2/5/2021, 5 attendee cases
3. Advanced Health Care of Colorado Springs (02Q655): February 2021, Healthcare, Skilled Nursing, El Paso County, 2/11/2021, 6 resident cases, 3 staff cases, 1 resident death
4. Arbor View (020414): February 2021, Healthcare, Memory Care, Jefferson County, 2/5/2021, 2 resident cases
5. Aurum Food and Wine, Restaurant, Sit Down, Routt County, 2/14/2021, 5 staff cases
6. Bauder Elementary School, School, K-12, Larimer County, 2/12/2021, 1 staff case, 6 attendee cases
7. Beit Lechem Ministries, Religious Facility, Mesa County, 2/4/2021, 4 attendee cases
8. Breckenridge Mountain Information Center, Office/Indoor Workspace, Summit County, 1/30/2021, 2 staff cases
9. Breckenridge Terrace Building G, Employee Housing, Summit County, 2/1/2021, 3 staff cases
10. Brookdale Mariana Butte (2303F3), Healthcare, Assisted Living, Larimer County, 2/12/2021, 1 resident case, 2 staff cases
11. Burger King Alamosa. Restaurant, Fast Food, Alamosa County, 2/15/2021, 4 staff cases
12. Calhan School District Eastern Plains Career Accelerator, School, K-12, El Paso County, 2/3/2021, 2 attendee cases
13. Carmel Construction, Construction Site, Denver County, 1/25/2021, 4 staff cases
14. Cheyenne Mountain High School: February 2021, School, K-12, El Paso County, 2/10/2021, 4 attendee cases
15. Children's Garden Learning Academy, Child Care Center, Denver County, 2/1/2021, 4 staff cases, 7 attendee cases
16. Children's House Montessori, Child Care Center, La Plata County, 2 attendee cases
17. City Market #420, Grocery Store, Summit County, 2/2/2021, 3 staff cases
18. City of Ouray Police Department, Law Enforcement, Ouray County, 2/8/2021, 2 staff cases
19. Cochino Taco, Restaurant, Sit Down, Denver County, 1/27/2021, 3 staff cases
20. Colorado Taekwondo Institute, Youth Sports/Activities, Jefferson County, 2/4/2021, 2 staff cases
21. Douglas County School District Transportation, School, K-12, Bus Outbreak, Transportation, Douglas County, 2/8/2021, 2 attendee cases
22. Escalante-Biggs Academy: February 2021, School, K-12, Denver County, 2/5/2021, 2 staff cases, 1 attendee case
23. Falcon High School: February 2021, School, K-12, El Paso County, 2/8/2021, 4 attendee cases
24. Fountain Fort Carson High School: February 2021, School, K-12, El Paso County, 1 staff case, 4 attendee cases
25. Franktown Fire Rescue, Fire Rescue/Department, Douglas County, 2/11/2021, 6 staff cases
26. Group Insurance Analysts, Inc, Office/Indoor Workspace, Jefferson County, 2/5/2021, 3 staff cases
27. Hays Market Johnstown, Grocery Store, Weld County, 2/12/2021, 2 staff cases
28. High Country Healing, Retailer, Marijuana Dispensary, Summit County, 2/2/2021, 2 staff cases
29. Home Depot #1538, Retailer, El Paso County, 2/8/2021, 4 staff cases
30. Home Depot #1541, Retailer, El Paso County, 2/8/2021, 7 staff cases
31. Iltalco Food Products, Food Manufacturing/Packaging, Denver County, 2/1/2021, 3 staff cases
32. Interstate Warehousing E. 51st Ave, Non-Food Manufacturer/Warehouse, Denver County, 2/4/2021, 3 staff cases
33. Keystone Mountain House Cafeteria, Restaurant, Summit County, 2/2/2021, 2 staff cases
34. Keystone Tenderfoot 7000 Building, Employee Housing, Summit County, 1/30/2021, 2 staff cases
35. Legacy Properties West Sotheby's International Realty, Office/Indoor Workspace, La Plata County, 2/11/2021, 6 staff cases
36. Liberty Common Elementary School, School, K-12, Larimer County, 2/8/2021, 1 staff case, 12 attendee cases
37. Littleton Public Schools Education Services Center, School Administration Operation Building, Arapahoe County, 2/3/2021, 2 staff cases
38. Markley Motors, Auto Dealership, Larimer County, 2/9/2021, 5 staff cases
39. Metropolitan State University Athletics Social Gathering, College/University, Denver County, 2/7/2021, 7 attendee cases
40. MorningStar Assisted Living of Fort Collins (23A846): February 2021, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Larimer County, 2/5/2021, 4 resident cases
41. Mortgage Solution Financial, Office/Indoor Workspace, El Paso County, 1/13/2021, 3 staff cases
42. Mr. Rooter Erie, Home Maintenance Services, Weld County, 1/29/2021, 5 staff cases
43. Needham Elementary School: February 2021, School, K-12, La Plata County, 2/11/20221, 1 staff case, 1 attendee case
44. Nugget Mountain Bar, Bar/Tavern/Brewery, La Plata County, 2/11/2021, 3 staff cases, 1 attendee case
45. Phil Long Kia, Car Dealership, El Paso County, 2/8/2021, 2 staff cases
46. Pikes Peak National Bank, Office/Indoor Workspace, El Paso County, 2/9/2021, 4 staff cases
47. Primrose School at the Flatirons, Child Care Center, Broomfield County, 2/3/2021, 4 staff cases, 2 attendee cases
48. Red Hill Elementary School, School, K-12, Eagle County, 2/5/2021, 5 staff cases
49. Regis Jesuit High School, School, K-12, Arapahoe County, 2/10/2021, 1 staff case, 12 attendee cases
50. RMT Overland, Non-Food Manufacturer/Warehouse, Larimer County, 2/16/2021, 3 staff cases
51. Rocky Mountain Lutheran High School, School, K-12, Adams County, 2/10/2021, 1 staff case, 9 attendee cases
52. RoughRiders 14/15 (Boys), Youth Sports/Activities, Ice Hockey Sports Team, Boulder County, 2/5/2021, 2 staff cases, 4 attendee cases
53. Safeway S Prairie Ave, Grocery Store, Pueblo County, 11/10/2020, 5 staff cases
54. Schmidt Construction Company, Construction Company/Contractor, El Paso County, 2/11/2021, 4 staff cases
55. Social Gathering Summit: February 2021, Social Gathering, Summit County, 2/7/2021, 3 attendee cases
56. Social Gathering Rio Grande, Social Gathering, Rio Grande County, 2/9/2021, 2 attendee cases
57. Steamboat Springs Youth Hockey Bantam, Youth Sports/Activities, Routt County, 2/5/2021, 3 attendee cases
58. The Acorn School for Early Childhood Development, School, K-12, Boulder County, 2/8/2021, 3 staff cases, 5 attendee cases
59. The Doughnut Club Fort Collins, Restaurant, Larimer County, 2/16/2021, 3 staff cases
60. The Raleigh House, Healthcare, Alcohol/Drug Abuse Treatment, Arapahoe County, 2/5/2021, 8 resident cases, 5 staff cases
61. The Salvation Army Colorado Springs, Homeless Shelter, El Paso County, 2/11/2021, 5 staff cases
62. Thomas MacLaren School: February 2021, School, K-12, El Paso County, 2/6/2021, 3 staff cases, 6 attendee cases
63. Trojan Youth Wrestling, Youth Sports/Activities, El Paso County, 2/1/2021, 1 staff case, 2 attendee cases
64. Turman Elementary School, School, K-12, El Paso County, 2/10/2021, 2 staff cases
65. University of Northern Colorado Men's Basketball Team, College/University, Weld County, 2/10/2021, 1 staff case, 5 attendee cases
66. University of Northern Colorado Track and Field Team, College/University, Weld County, 1/28/2021, 1 staff case, 12 attendee cases
67. Vail Christian High School, School, K-12, Eagle County, 2/9/2021, 4 attendee cases
68. Varra Companies Inc. Frederick, Materials Supplier, Weld County, 2/12/2021, 2 staff cases
69. Verandas Assisted Living at Wheatridge (2304RB), Healthcare, Assisted Living, Jefferson County, 11/17/2021, 3 resident cases
70. Walmart #3582: February 2021, Retailer, El Paso County, 2/11/2021, 3 staff cases
71. Walmart #5123, Retailer, El Paso County, 2/11/2021, 5 staff cases
72. Washington Elementary School, School, K-12, Prowers County, 2/11/2021, 2 attendee cases
73. WCG Incorporated, Office/Indoor Workspace, El Paso County, 2/5/2021, 2 staff cases
74. Widefield School District (Technology Department), School Administration, El Paso County, 2/8/2021, 3 staff cases