We are still seeing an alarming number of documented coronavirus (COVID-19) cases nationwide, especially in the United States. Between watching the news, finding paper products, and dutifully respecting public guidelines by social distancing and wearing face coverings, you may have stopped keeping tabs on your local county’s COVID-19 cases. However, Denver, Colorado, is no exception to the effects of COVID-19. The local community, hospitals, and emergency rooms (ERs) are all still trying to cope with the influx of coronavirus cases in addition to seasonal illnesses and urgent medical treatment for other conditions.
To explore how COVID-19 is impacting healthcare facilities in Denver, here’s a closer look at local COVID-19 cases, ER data tracking, and hospital surveillance:
The Latest Numbers
Here are some of the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of December 14th, 2020:
- Denver County has 43,057 total confirmed COVID-19 cases and 623 total deaths.
- The total number of COVID-19 hospitalizations (ICU and non-ICU) for Denver County is 3,072.
- Across Colorado, about 18% of the state’s available hospital beds are occupied by confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients.
- An estimated 1,091 COVID-19 tests are taken per day in Denver County (roughly 7,637 tests per week).
- On November 12, 2020, Colorado recorded 5,689 confirmed COVID-19 cases—the highest daily number since the first wave.
In the United States overall:
- The United States has had 16,113,148 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 298,266 of which have resulted in death.
- Outpatient visits to ERs have been steadily increasing since mid-September, and hospitalizations are on the rise.
- Reported United States laboratory testing for COVID-19 totals at 213,299,505.
- People ages 18-29 represent about 23% of COVID-19 cases.
The Takeaways
While the number of localized COVID-19 cases in Denver, Colorado, and the nation differ, they all confirm the steady influx of coronavirus cases and the overwhelming impact it’s having on ERs. As the third wave of COVID-19 continues to impact the nation, several national forecast models are predicting related hospitalizations to increase. For Colorado ERs, especially in Denver County, these predicted statistics are concerning. As of November 13, 2020, record-level coronavirus cases impacted Colorado—where nearly 83% of the state’s ICU beds were in use (coronavirus-related or not). And, with the holidays fast approaching, these numbers are sure to continue increasing.
In-Home COVID-19 Treatment & Testing
These COVID-19 numbers and the relative impact on Denver ERs have made many individuals avoid healthcare centers for fear of exposure to COVID-19. If you’re one of these people or are at risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19, do not avoid or postpone urgent medical treatment. Communicate your concerns with your care team or primary healthcare provider to learn about your options. Or, call DispatchHealth to learn about the benefits of in-home healthcare.
Bringing Same-Day Medical Care to Your Home
DispatchHealth is an on-demand, in-home healthcare provider serving residents of Denver, Colorado and beyond. We offer a wide variety of acute care services to people of all ages in the comfort and safety of their homes; this includes COVID-19 testing and patient support. Our medical teams are qualified and equipped with many of the same tools, tests, and treatments found in a traditional ER. And, in light the pandemic, we are responding to patient needs with the utmost care. In addition to implementing rigorous infection control and sanitation protocols, teams will arrive at your place of need with personal protective equipment (PPE) and gear. We also thoroughly disinfect equipment and vehicles between visits.
To learn more about our in-home healthcare service or to request care, contact DispatchHealth. Scheduling a visit is as simple as using our app, giving us a call, or requesting service through our website. Within a few hours of contact, one of our medical teams will arrive at your doorstep.
Sources
DispatchHealth relies only on authoritative sources, including medical associations, research institutions, and peer-reviewed medical studies.
Sources referenced in this article:
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/hosp-emergency-visits.html
- https://protect-public.hhs.gov/pages/hospital-capacity
- https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#ed-visits
- https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/covid-19.html
- https://news.google.com/covid19/map?hl=en-US&mid=%2Fm%2F02cl1&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen
- https://covid19.biglocalnews.org/county-maps/index.html?embed=stateCounty#/county/08031
- https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/50dbb5e7dfb6495292b71b7d8df56d0a
- https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/colorado-coronavirus-cases.html
