County sees 40 new COVID-19 cases in past week

One-quarter of all county cases diagnosed since June 15, most patients ages 20-59

PRESS RELEASE
June 23, 2020

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County has experienced significant growth in the number of COVID-19 cases, with 40 new cases in the past seven days. This brings the total case count to 240 in Garfield County since the pandemic first reached the area. We have had 139 lab-confirmed cases, with 22 people hospitalized – six of which remain in the hospital.

 

Garfield County has seen 25 percent of its lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases since June 15; an analysis of the past six-weeks shows a steady increase in cases since the county shifted from “Stay at Home” March 26  to “Safer at Home,” April 26 and following the Memorial Day holiday.

 

As more and more of us move around, both in our county and regionally, the potential to contract COVID-19 increases, as does the chances an infected person may spread it to their families and community. In one recent cluster, individuals from five different counties contracted the disease.

 

Most new cases are in people ages 20 to 59, who are more mobile and may be traveling for work or recreation. Clusters of cases are appearing in the food service and construction and trades industries, as well as among young people that are gathering socially.

 

Some of those who have been hospitalized have been transferred to other facilities with higher levels of care, because of the severity of their cases. This disease does not discriminate; just three of the hospitalized patients were over the age of 60, and we’ve seen patients as young as elementary-school age.

 

Garfield County Public Health asks the community to take responsible actions to ensure the health of everyone. As we continue to open our businesses and get back to living life to the fullest, we remind you that there are only a few essential tools available to fight this disease. These tools are not designed to impinge on personal freedoms or rights, but to ensure the health of all people.

 

Small actions and personal responsibility can go a long way toward helping us combat this pandemic. These include wearing a face covering when in public, maintaining a social distance of six feet, washing your hands, getting tested within one to two days, and most importantly, staying home if you are sick or feel unwell.

 

These steps will help save lives and keep our economy open.