DENVER (KDVR) — Gov. Jared Polis is describing the uptick of COVID-19 cases in Colorado as troubling.

The number of people being admitted to hospitals has been trending upward for nearly two weeks.

“It was not the time to panic but it was time to control the pandemic,” Polis said in a news conference Tuesday.

On Tuesday, 444 new cases were reported.

Polis said the number of coronavirus cases is growing slowly but consistently.

“We need to do a bit better, the trajectory is not good and the complacency needs to end,” he said.

Polis also pointed out the increasing number of people being admitted to hospitals.

He said what Colorado is doing is not working.

The governor also focused on the alarming rise of COVID-19 cases in nearby states like Arizona and Texas, saying there was no way to quarantine visitors from those areas.

Polis once again stressed the use of masks, defending his decision to call non-users “selfish bastards” in a Facebook post.

Polis said he will use any kind of language needed to get the message out that will get people to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

The lack of a national strategy to fight COVID-19, Polis said, is the biggest hurdle to getting the virus under control.