Colorado’s coronavirus outbreak took a grave turn Friday, with the state reporting its first death and Gov. Jared Polis calling the pandemic “one of the greatest public health disasters of our lifetime.”

Growing concerns over the spread of the new coronavirus, first confirmed in the state eight days ago, fueled an extraordinary string of cancelations and venue closures, from touring Broadway shows to Denver’s public library to Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre.

As Polis urged the cancellation of any events bringing together more than 250 people, state lawmakers prepared to vote to postpone the legislative session. But, for now, ski areas remain open.

Noting the state is “mourning,” Polis sought to reassure Coloradans in a news conference Friday evening.

“This is the first,” he said, of the death of an El Paso County woman in her 80s. “There will be more. There will be far more Coloradans to recover.”

There are 77 confirmed COVID-19cases in Colorado, including more than half a dozen patients who are hospitalized. Health officials said at least three people are in critical condition, although it’s unclear if the person who died was counted among them.

The woman who died Friday at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central in Colorado Springs had underlying health conditions. She wasn’t publicly identified, but is the first known fatality in Colorado related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

While most cases of the new coronavirus are mild, health officials are concerned about those most at risk of complications, such as those over 60 and people with underlying health issues, such as heart, lung or kidney disease or diabetes.

“This underscores the need to protect our most vulnerable,” Polis repeated twice during the evening news conference.

Protecting the most vulnerable

Even before the announcement of the first death, the governor warned Coloradans of the toll the new coronavirus outbreak could have on the state, especially for those most at risk of complications.

And after the news broke, he urged residents to help those most at risk by practicing “social distancing” and delivering groceries to older neighbors.

“We will find our way through this darkness,” he said. “Coloradans are tough. We are resilient And we are going to get through this together.”

In emphasizing the need to protect those most vulnerable, Polis urged — but did not order — the cancellation of all public gatherings in Colorado with more than 250 people, unless events can guarantee six feet of separation between attendees.

Local officials have issued orders limiting gatherings of people to 50 in Eagle, Garfield and Pitkin counties, where the virus has been especially prevalent.

Denver’s mayor went a step further than the governor and ordered city venues to close their doors and cancel events for the next month. That led the Denver Center for the Performing Arts to cancel or postpone a month’s worth of shows as concert venues including the Mission Ballroom and Bluebird Theater closed their doors. The city’s libraries and recreation centers are also closed until further notice.

“These are not easy decisions; this is the life of our city,” said Mayor Michael Hancock.

“Verge of a tipping point”

There are likely thousands of people with COVID-19 in the state, but they have not yet been tested or have tests pending, Polis said.

State health officials confirmed Friday that the new coronavirus is spreading through the Denver metro area. While they expected there was community transmission here, they previously only had confirmation that it was happening in Eagle County.

“We are very much on the verge of a tipping point. We are seeing limited community spread,” Polis said. “We fully expect and are actively planning for that community transmission to accelerate in the coming days and weeks ahead.”

Community transmission occurs when a person tests positive for the coronavirus but health officials can’t find a source for their exposure, such as travel or contact with an infected person.

The new coronavirus mainly spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and those who are within six feet of an infected person are most at risk. Symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To protect against the new coronavirus, it’s recommended that people wash their hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds. Individuals should also avoid touching their face and use a tissue or elbow to cover their coughs and sneezes, according to the state health department.

The increase in cases in Colorado echoes spikes in other states, and a medical expert agreed that there are likely many times more cases still not detected.

“This is always a problem at the beginning of an epidemic,” said Dr. Tara O’Toole, former undersecretary of science and technology for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, speaking during a conference call on coronavirus organized Friday by the Council on Foreign Relations.

“It is very difficult to extrapolate early on from the number of (confirmed) cases to the total number of cases. … You don’t know how many people are walking around with milder cases and not seeking medical attention.”

Most tests for COVID-19 in Colorado have come back negative, with most people suffering from a cold or the flu. But more testing is needed so that individuals who do have the disease know to stay in isolation for a full two weeks.

It’s recommended that while test results are pending, individuals isolate themselves to prevent the spread of the illness to others.

“We are focused on expanding testing because early protection means early treatment if needed,” Polis said during a news conference Friday.

Colorado has collected tests for more than 1,500 people so far, Polis said. That’s far above the national average but woefully inadequate, the governor added. He has said we should be testing thousands per day.

Polis also stressed the need for Colorado’s health care systems to increase staffing, saying “the human consequences need to remain our primary focus.” The state can “prevent a catastrophic overload of the health care system and prevent deaths,” he said.

As such, he’s pushing state regulators to allow medical professionals, such as nurses and doctors, who are licensed in other states but reside here to be licensed to practice in Colorado as “quickly as possible.”

He also encouraged retired nurses and doctors to “reconnect” with past employers in case hospitals need help from those not currently in the workforce.

Staff writers Alex Burness, Jon Murray and Conrad Swanson contributed to this report.

Updated 7 p.m. March 13, 2020 This story has been corrected to report that Gov. Jared Polis on Friday recommended events with more than 250 people be canceled.

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