A look at COVID-19 outbreaks in Arapahoe County as business opens up

BY FREDA MIKLIN -- GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

New reported cases of COVID-19 have been decreasing steadily in Colorado since they hit a high of 970 on April 23. The three-day moving average of new cases reported for the first five days of June is the lowest it has been since March 28. There were seven COVID-19 deaths statewide on May 31, but only six in the first three days of June combined. The trend of the impact of the virus in Colorado is clearly down.

As of this week, most business, including health clubs, bowling alleys, playgrounds, and houses of worship have been given the green light to restart operations at some level. Retail stores, restaurants, and offices have been open for a few weeks. Unspoken is the fear throughout our state and many others around the country about how the non-social-distanced demonstrations following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of the local police, ongoing for the past ten days (as of this writing) and counting, could affect the possibility of new outbreaks.

An outbreak is defined as “two or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a facility or (non-household) group with onset in a 14-day period.” Once an outbreak has been identified, it remains on the list. It is considered resolved “when 28 days have passed with no new illnesses.” Outbreak data for the entire state is updated and released every Wednesday.

In Arapahoe County, there were 58 places shown on the Outbreak list as of June 3, including 16 that were marked as resolved. Of the remaining 42, 18 nursing homes and other senior living facilities plus 11 assorted businesses reported no increase in total cases or fatalities from the previous week. Most of the 11 locations listed with new cases were places where senior citizens live. The most significant increase over the previous week was at Garden Terrace Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence at 1600 S. Potomac Street in Aurora, which reported 12 new cases among its residents from the prior week. A statement on its website dated May 29 said, “Our facility is currently COVID-19 free. Altogether, 69 of our residents have been tested for COVID-19. 49 residents have tested positive; 20 residents have tested negative. All of the in-house residents who previously tested positive have recovered per the CDC’s strict guidelines for recovery, and they no longer require isolation precautions. A few of our COVID-19 positive residents have been transferred to local hospitals for more acute care. 16 COVID-19 positive residents have passed away. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family

GoRight PPL, a manufacturer of plastic containers located at 21250 E. 36 th Drive in Aurora reported 20 employees with COVID-19 and one fatality, up from 16 impacted employees and no fatalities a week earlier.

ABM Facility Services at 9800 E. Geddes Ave in Englewood was new to the June 3 outbreak list after reporting 10 cases of COVID-19 among its employees on May 29. ABM Facility Services is a provider of building maintenance services in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico, with 140,000 employees worldwide.

Also on the Arapahoe County outbreak list for the first time on June 3 was Chick-fil-a at 5600 S. Parker Road in Aurora, after reporting three employees had the coronavirus on June 2.

Fmiklin.villager@gmail.com