DENVER (KDVR) — The coronavirus seems to have grown more prevalent in the place where Coloradans are at the greatest risk – nursing homes.
In the pandemic’s early days, the greatest concentrations of COVID-19 deaths were linked to assisted care facilities.
Case fatality rates have dropped dramatically since then and are now at their lowest point. The state is, however, now seeing more cases spring up in assisted care facilities than any time yet, including the pandemic’s deadliest days.
Each of the last three weeks has produced more outbreaks in assisted living facilities than the highest-producing weeks in April.
By month, November alone has already outpaced the worst months for nursing home outbreaks – with two weeks left to go.
Cases overall skyrocketed in October, but the increase in nursing home cases began somewhat before that. Closed to visitations through August, Gov. Jared Polis opened assisted care facilities back up Aug. 26. The increase in home outbreaks began 3-4 weeks afterward.