FOX31 Denver

COVID-19 surge continues in Colorado: Rates and positivity are rising

Dara Bitler

DENVER (KDVR) — The COVID-19 positivity and incidence rates have risen over the last week in Colorado. 

As of Monday, the state’s 7-day positivity rate is 9.85%, which is up from 9.49%. Positivity rate measures the amount of COVID positive tests to the total amount of tests taken.

The highest positivity rate in the state over the past seven days is Custer County with 30% positivity.

From Nov. 8 to Nov. 15, 37 counties saw an increase in COVID-19 positivity, 22 saw a decrease in COVID-19 positivity, two counties did not change from last week, and three counties administered fewer than 10 tests in the past week.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the incidence rates are on the rise over the last seven days.

CDPHE 11/15/21

Here’s a look at positivity rates for every county over the last seven days:

1-week positivity rate:

What is the positivity percent?

According to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the percent positive is exactly what it sounds like: the percentage of all coronavirus tests performed that are actually positive, or: (positive tests)/(total tests) x 100%. The percent positive (sometimes called the “percent positive rate” or “positivity rate”) helps public health officials answer questions such as:

The percent positive will be high if the number of positive tests is too high, or if the number of total tests is too low. A higher percent positive suggests higher transmission and that there are likely more people with coronavirus in the community who haven’t been tested yet, Johns Hopkins shared.