COVID-19 Update: Colorado Places Where Residents Are Supposed to Wear Masks

According to the latest data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, COVID-19 is currently spreading at high rates across more than a quarter of the state's 64 counties — at a level where the CDC advises people to wear masks in public places. Among them is Alamosa County, home to much of Great Sand Dunes National Park, which is not just recommending, but requiring mask use in all buildings on its grounds.

Meanwhile, the one-week positivity rate, a key figure when it comes to determining COVID circulation and whether enough testing is being done, is over 10 percent in around two-thirds of Colorado counties, including all of metro Denver, with some areas hitting heights similar to those registered during the peak of the pandemic. And more than 100 COVID outbreaks have been identified in the past two weeks.

Here are the CDPHE numbers from November 30 in major categories, along with comparisons to stats from our previous roundup, which drew from November 16 numbers:

1,704,846 cases (up 16,107 from November 16)
71,437 hospitalized (up 883 from November 16)
13,609 deaths among cases (up 103 from November 16)
14,310 deaths due to COVID-19 (up 86 from November 16)
10,199 outbreaks (up 112 from November 16)

And these are the details for the past seven days.

Cases reported this week: 7,446, up 399
Cases reported for previous weeks: 95
Seven-day positivity rate: 12.6
Currently hospitalized: 440, up 53
New hospital admissions: 789, up 86

Four takeaways:

• Over the past month or so, the official new case count has been increasing by close to 10 percent each week, even though most infected individuals now use home tests whose results aren't reported to the CDPHE. That the November 30 numbers are slightly below those from the previous week is likely because of the extended Thanksgiving weekend.

• The two metrics related to new COVID-19 fatalities offer divergent information. The average of just over 51 deaths among cases for the past two weeks is significantly above the 41 counted on November 16. But deaths directly attributed to the disease averaged 43, below the 53 two weeks ago.

• On November 16, the state's seven-day-average positivity rate hit 12.6 percent — the worst in months, and well above the 5 percent mark that the CDPHE prefers not to exceed. The rate was unchanged on November 30.

• Both the number of new hospital admissions for COVID-19 and the overall hospitalization total took an unwelcome jump on November 30; admissions went from 598 to 789 in a week, while the number of people occupying hospital beds over that span hit 440, up from 379. Those numbers don't include those receiving care for RSV or the flu; the CDPHE counts 517 hospitalizations for those illnesses since October 2.

Meanwhile, the virus continues to splinter and mutate at a quick pace. Omicron 5, which once accounted for the overwhelming majority of COVID infections, was traced to just 50 percent of samples sequenced during the week of November 6, the most recent for which stats are available. Two related and relatively new strains account for the next largest chunk of cases — 12.50 percent for BQ.1 and 14.58 percent for BQ1.1 — with seven other variants turning up as well.

The following CDPHE graphic depicts the one-week cumulative positivity rate for each county. Those in red are above 10 percent, but several are more than double that as of today, December 1, including Custer (21.4 percent), Pitkin (27.8 percent), Sedgwick (30.8 percent), Ouray (31.6 percent) and Phillips (37.0 percent).
The CDC calculates the community level of COVID-19 as high in seventeen Colorado counties: Moffat, Rio Blanco, Garfield, Mesa, Montezuma, Routt, Eagle, Pitkin, Alamosa, Fremont, Pueblo, Otero, Prowers, Kiowa, Phillips, Sedgwick and Logan.

The agency's advice to residents of these counties: "Wear a mask indoors in public and on public transportation. Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. Get tested if you have symptoms. If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider taking additional precautions."

Outbreaks continue to be declared with a frequency that compares to the period before the state health agency stopped reporting spread at schools and businesses in July. An average of 52 new or tweaked outbreaks have occurred over each of the past two weeks, just above the fifty on November 16. As usual, most of the sites are health-care facilities that specialize in senior care.

Here are the 104 new or tweaked outbreaks identified by the CDPHE on November 30, including information about categories, county of origin, and the date when the spread was officially recognized. The department no longer provides details regarding the overall number of infections or deaths, or whether they pertain to residents, staff members or attendees.

1. Abundant Blessings and Care Assisted Living — Eastman (23H561): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/29/2022
2. Alamosa County Detention Facility: October 2022, Jail, Alamosa County, 10/31/2022
3. Altavita Assisted Living (23F921): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Boulder County, 11/29/2022
4. Arbor View (020414): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Jefferson County, 11/22/2022
5. Augustana Elk Run Assisted Living (23R962): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Jefferson County, 11/15/2022
6. Aviva at Fitzsimons (02S294): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Adams County, 11/23/2022
7. Balfour at Longmont (23L108): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Boulder County, 11/21/2022
8. Balfour at Riverfront Park (23I587): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Denver County, 11/23/2022
9. Bear Creek Center (020435): October 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Jefferson County, 10/17/2022
10. Belleview Suites at DTC Assisted Living & Memory (2304VK): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Denver County, 11/15/2022
11. Bonaventure of Pueblo (23Y771): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Pueblo County, 11/28/2022
12. Bookcliff Manor Assisted Living (231118): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Mesa County, 11/28/2022
13. Broadmoor Court (230540): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, El Paso County, 11/21/2022
14. Brookdale Arvada (23046M): October 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Jefferson County, 10/31/2022
15. Brookdale Lowry (2304K7): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Denver County, 11/28/2022
16. Brookdale Meridian Englewood (23N600): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/22/2022
17. Brookdale Monument Valley Park (2305WD): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, El Paso County, 11/18/2022
18. Brookdale Vista Grande (23053C): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, El Paso County, 11/17/2022
19. Brookside Assisted Living (230514): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, El Paso County, 11/16/2022
20. Cambridge Care Center (020441): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Jefferson County, 11/18/2022
21. Casey's Pond Senior Living (23Y775): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Routt County, 11/21/2022
22. Center At Lowry, LLC (02G500): October 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Denver County, 10/26/2022
23. Cherry Hills Assisted Living and Memory Care (23K182): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/21/2022
24. Cheyenne Mountain Center (020573): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, El Paso County, 11/23/2022
25. Christopher House Rehabilitation And Care Community (020472): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Jefferson County, 11/18/2022
26. Colorado Youthful Offender Systems: November 2022, State Prison, Pueblo County, 11/28/2022
27. Columbine Commons Health and Rehab LLC (02L578): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Weld County, 11/23/2022
28. Columbine Manor Care Center (020698): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Chaffee County, 11/30/2022
29. Columbine West Health & Rehab Facility (020335): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Larimer County, 11/14/2022
30. Crossroads at Delta ALF (23R567): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Delta County, 11/21/2022
31. Durango Early Learning, Child Care Center, La Plata County, 11/7/2022
32. Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center (020170): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Morgan County, 11/15/2022
33. Eddie's House LLC (230662), Healthcare, Assisted Living, Pueblo County, 11/22/2022
34. Forest Street Compassionate Care Center (02H516): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Denver County, 11/23/2022
35. Fort Collins Good Samaritan Retirement Village-ALR (230329): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Larimer County, 11/29/2022
36. Frontier Valley Assisted and Independent Living (2304B1): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/23/2022
37. Garden Square at Westlake (2303C0): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Weld County, 10/31/2022
38. Gardens on Quail (23U764): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Jefferson County, 11/21/2022
39. Golden Orchard I (2304CL): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/24/2022
40. Golden Pond LLC (23P550): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Jefferson County, 112/23/2022
41. Good Samaritan Society Water Valley Sr Living Resort (23V721): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Weld County, 11/8/2022
42. Good Samaritan Society — Loveland Village Assisted Living (230373): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Larimer County, 11/28/2022
43. Grace Manor Care Center (020175): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Kit Carson County, 11/29/2022
44. Greeley Village LLC (23Q715): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Weld County, 11/29/2022
45. Harmony Home — Fort Morgan I (2301CF) & Harmony Home — Fort Morgan II (2301SC): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Morgan County, 11/16/2022
46. Harvard Square Retirement Community (230428): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Denver County, 11/22/2022
47. Hillcrest of Loveland (23E476): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Larimer County, 11/29/2022
48. Hilltop Reserve (23J981): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Denver County, 11/23/2022
49. Jerusalem Assisted Living Facility (23T697): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Denver County, 11/22/2022
50. Juniper Village — The Spearly Center (020424): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Denver County, 11/21/2022
51. Juniper Village at Aurora (2304S1): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/21/2022
52. Juniper Village at Louisville (23033N): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Boulder County, 11/22/2022
53. Keystone Place at Legacy Ridge Assisted Living (23H523): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Adams County, 11/25/2022
54. La Puente Home Inc.: November 2022, Homeless Shelter, Alamosa County, 11/16/2022
55. Las Animas County Jail: November 2022, Jail, Las Animas County, 11/17/2022
56. Life Care Center of Colorado Springs (0205X1): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, El Paso County, 11/16/2022
57. Life Care Center of Pueblo (020641): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Pueblo County, 11/29/2022
58. Linden Place Health and Rehabilitation Center (020375): November 2022 , Healthcare, Nursing Facility No. 2, Boulder County, 11/29/2022
59. Mantey Heights Rehabilitation and Care Center (021149): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Mesa County, 11/10/2022
60. Marvin Foote Youth Services Center: November 2022, Correctional, Arapahoe County, 11/1/2022
61. Mesa View (05R426): November 2022, Healthcare, RCFDD Group Home, Garfield County, 11/29/2022
62. Morgan County Detention Center: October 2022, Jail, Morgan County, 11/17/2022
63. MorningStar at Mountain Shadows (23Y392): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, El Paso County, 11/17/2022
64. Morrison Manor LLC (23R667): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Jefferson County, 11/22/2022
65. Neurorestorative Colorado (02E996): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Jefferson County, 11/29/2022
66. Oakshire Commons (23M641): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Pueblo County, 11/28/2022
67. Oasis House (23E471): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Pueblo County, 11/30/2022
68. Orchard Valley Health & Rehabilitation Center (021137): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Mesa County, 11/16/2022
69. Park Regency Thornton (23Q568): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Adams County, 11/21/2022
70. Peakview Assisted Living and Memory Care (23F490): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/15/2022
71. Progressive Care Center (020658): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Fremont County, 11/21/2022
72. Promedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation — Boulder (020315): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Boulder County, 11/14/2022
73. Pueblo Regional Center — House H (0506Z3): November 2022, Healthcare, Intermediate Care, Pueblo County, 11/23/2022
74. Renew Roaring Fork (23F410): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Garfield County, 11/23/2022
75. Residence at Grand Mesa (23R116): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Mesa County, 11/29/2022
76. Retreat at Harbor Cove (23114D): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Mesa County, 11/18/2022
77. Rio Grande Inn (02I146): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Conejos County, 11/16/2022
78. Sedgwick County Memorial Nursing Home (020199): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Sedgwick County, 11/16/2022
79. Sloan's Lake Rehabilitation Center (02Q649): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Denver County, 11/3/2022
80. Solange at Eveningsong, Inc (23P691): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Douglas County, 11/28/2022
81. Sprawka Residential Center (050104): November 2022, Healthcare, RCFDD Group Home, Logan County, 11/21/2022
82. Stonecreek of Littleton (23N524): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/18/2022
83. The Argyle (230464): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Denver County, 11/28/2022
84. The Gardens at Columbine (2304QP): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/22/2022
85. The Gathering Place: November 2022, Homeless Shelter, Denver County, 11/18/2022
86. The Harmony Home LLC — Jay Drive #1 (2301FP): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Logan County, 11/15/2022
87. The Legacy at Burlington (2301PN): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Kit Carson County, 11/23/2022
88. The Peaks at Old Laramie Trail (23V340): October 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Boulder County, 10/12/2022
89. The Peaks Care Center (020391): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Boulder County, 11/18/2022
90. The Retreat at Highlands (23O618): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Jefferson County, 11/29/2022
91. The Retreat at Palisade (2311QG): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Mesa County, 11/4/2022
92. The Suites at Holly Creek Care Center (02D456): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Arapahoe County, 11/30/2022
93. The Suites at Someren Glen Care Center (020471): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Arapahoe County, 11/21/2022
94. The Suites Parker (02K186): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Douglas County, 11/22/2022
95. The Village Care and Rehabilitation Center (0204JL): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Jefferson County, 11/28/2022
96. Valley View Health Care Center, Inc (020643): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility No. 2, Fremont County, 11/28/2022
97. Valley View Villa (020195): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Morgan County, 11/29/2022
98. Veterans Community Living Center at Fitzsimons (02R932): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Arapahoe County, 11/14/2022
99. Village at Belmar (23Z408): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Jefferson County, 11/29/2022
100. Vista House (05081P): November 2022, Healthcare, RCFDD Group Home, Garfield County, 11/23/2022
101. Waneka Park — Assisted Living Residence (230322): November 2022, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Boulder County, 11/18/2022
102. Washington County Justice Center: November 2022, Jail, Washington County, 11/30/2022
103. Wide Horizon Inc. (020464): November 2022, Healthcare, Nursing Facility, Jefferson County, 11/22/2022
104. Xanadu Assisted Living Residence Inc (23K605), Healthcare, Assisted Living, Arapahoe County, 11/28/2022