Larimer County outbreaks decline, with 2 new reported
Heading into the holiday season, statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations are still high, but case numbers are dropping and Larimer County added only two new outbreaks: one at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse in Fort Collins and one at Good Samaritan Society's Loveland Village assisted living.
State health officials warned in a press conference Wednesday that it’s too early to tell if the plateau in cases they’ve seen over the past few days is a trend and that people should not let their guards down when traveling or spending time with family.
“The numbers that we see in cases and percent positivity are hopeful and indicate that maybe we are at the beginning of some type of plateau,” said Scott Bookman, Colorado’s COVID-19 incident commander. However, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and season put the state at risk for another rise in cases.
"While it is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate in a way that we didn't get to last year, it is incredibly important that you take care of yourselves," Bookman said.
Following state trends, Larimer County’s case numbers are appearing to plateau, and both outbreaks reported this week were fairly small in size.
Good Samaritan's Loveland Village Assisted Living Center joined two other Good Sam facilities in Larimer County with an outbreak of COVID. One staff member and one resident tested positive in an outbreak reported to the state Tuesday.
More: Coloradoan Answers: Who enforces Larimer County's mask mandate?
Of the 58 active outbreaks this week, long-term care facilities account for just over 24%.
The state health department considers an outbreak at a long-term care facility to be two or more positive cases.
In September, after outbreaks at Fort Collins Village and Loveland Village, the company said it requires mandatory screening before entering the facility as well as masks for all staff and visitors.
It required all staff to be vaccinated in August, said Good Samaritan Society Executive Director Randy Fitzgerald. "The vaccine is the best tool we have to fight the virus and protect the most vulnerable." Representatives from Good Samaritan were not immediately available for comment due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
BJ's reported an outbreak of six cases among staff to the health department on Nov. 15. The location has had two previous outbreaks, one in March with two cases and and one in October 2020 with five cases.
A BJ's spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the outbreak.
More: Coloradoan Answers: Why must COVID-19 metrics be met for 21 days to end the mask mandate?
Where is Larimer County with the mask mandate metrics?
As of data pulled from the county's COVID-19 dashboard on Nov. 24, Larimer County met two of the four metrics required by county health officials to end the county's mask mandate — the county positivity rate and seven-day case rate of less than 300 per 100,000.
The seven-day positive rate listed on the county's online COVID-19 dashboard on Friday stood at 7.5%, below the 10% threshold, and the seven-day case rate per 100,000 was 299.
In its October public health order, the county cited the following benchmarks that needed to be met for 21 days before the mandate could be rescinded: fewer than 65 COVID patients in Larimer County hospitals; ICU utilization at less than 90% of usual levels; a seven-day case rate per 100,000 of less than 300; and a seven-day positivity rate of less than 10%.
See how the numbers have compared to those metrics in the graph below.
COVID-19 outbreaks in Larimer County
Note: Asterisks indicate outbreaks newly reported since data released on Nov. 24.
Bold entries indicate outbreaks with 10 or more confirmed and probable cases, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Allen Service
Alpine Cabinet Co.
Bauder Elementary School
Bennett Elementary School
*BJs Restaurant
Bright Horizons - East Fort Collins
Cache la Poudre Elementary
Campion Academy
Catholic Charities Shelter
Centre Avenue Health and Rehab
Collinwood Assisted Living
Coyote Ridge Elementary School
Creekside Village Health and Rehabilitation
Dellenbach Subaru
Eyestone Elementary School
Fort Collins Health Care Center
Fort Collins Police Department
Genesis Hospitality
Good Samaritan Society - Fort Collins Village
Good Samaritan Society - Loveland Village
*Good Samaritan Society Loveland Village Assisted Living
Hach Company
Kruse Elementary School
Larimer County Alternative Sentencing Department
Larimer County Community Corrections
Larimer County Jail
Larimer County Sheriff Department - Court Division
Lemay Avenue Health & Rehab
Lesher Middle School
Liberty Common Charter School
Lincoln Middle School
LivWell Enlightened Health Marijuana Dispensary
Lopez Elementary School
Loveland High School
Lucile Erwin Middle School
Lyons Sandstone
MorningStar of Fort Collins Assisted Living
Mountain View High School
New Mercer Commons
New Vision Charter School 4-8 Campus
North Shore Health & Rehab Facility
Poudre High School
Rawhide Energy Station
Resurrection Christian Elementary
Resurrection Christian Middle/High School
Ridgeview Classical School
Riverbend Health and Rehabilitation Center
Sam's Club, Loveland
Spring Creek School LLC
Sugar Valley Estates
Super Vacuum Manufacturing Co.
The Goddard School of Fort Collins
The Green House Homes at Mirasol
The Sunshine House Fort Collins - Bucking Horse
Thompson Valley High School
Walmart Distribution Center
Young People's Learning Center
Zach Core Knowledge Elementary School
Pat Ferrier is a senior reporter covering business, health care and growth issues in Northern Colorado. Contact her at patferrier@coloradoan.com. Molly Bohannon covers education for the Coloradoan. Follow her on Twitter @molboha or contact her at mbohannon@coloradoan.com. Support their work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Outbreaks in Larimer County drop under 60, with just 2 added
