As the state revised its death toll sharply upward Friday, from the coronavirus known as COVID-19, the official toll in Chaffee County was reported at 13.
Chaffee County Public Health Director Andrea Carlstrom said 65 cases were confirmed, up from 54 reported the day before, 49 of which were concentrated at Columbine Manor Care Center in Salida, among both patients and staff.
Totals are becoming more difficult to determine due to updated definitions from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). Cases are now being categorized as lab-confirmed and probable. One fatality was added to the county total earlier in the week after post-mortem testing revealed death was caused by the coronavirus.
Of the 13 total county fatalities reported Friday, 12 came from the outbreak at Columbine Manor. Of lab-confirmed non-Columbine and non-fatal cases in the county as of Friday, Carlstrom said 100 per cent of those affected had recovered. Statewide, the coronavirus death toll was announced as 674 Friday, up more than 100 from the toll announced Thursday.
At Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (HRRMC), Hospitalist Dr. Erika Gelgand reported 35 of 36 healthcare employees tested were negative, with one result still pending. She said that a quicker turnaround test for the virus was being evaluated at the hospital and that with increased testing supplies, more testing of people in the community would be possible.
She also said that thanks to the generosity of the community in providing protective masks, non-critical staff now have three to four masks they can use.
At Friday’s briefing, both Chaffee County Board Chairman Greg Felt and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Director Josh Hadley touched on the national death toll topping 50,000; Hadley saying it’s a reminder this pandemic is still taking many lives. He said while call volume is down for EMS crews locally, they are working to keep themselves protected and obtain protective equipment.
Felt said the U.S. toll of more than 50,000 deaths has had an impact on the country and our national psyche, noting that 58,000 soldiers died in the Vietnam conflict, and about 50,000 were killed in the Civil War battle of Gettysburg. He said the toll is an inspiration for county planners to keep working as they have for the last six weeks to “find the best path forward” to safeguard resident’s health and begin to slowly resume economic vitality to the community.
He said Governor Jared Polis’ new Safer-at-Home directive left some questions unanswered and that it has been difficult being charged with creating a program to meet state directives; “the guardrails keep moving. “I do think the process has been a success and we’ve stayed together on this…” Felt said, noting that the county Stay-at-Home order expires on April 30 and directives will be changing.
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