New outbreaks of COVID-19 continue to hit Montezuma County and include a senior living center, a church, a county department and a major retailer.
The county now has 14 active outbreaks in the county, according to Colorado Department of Health and Environment.
As of Dec. 2, Montezuma County has had 762 positive COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started in March. Six people have died from the disease. There are 480 active cases, and 273 people have recovered.
CDPHE defines an “outbreak” of COVID-19 as two or more positive tests at a single location within 14 days.
CDPHE listed the outbreaks Wednesday in its weekly report. The new outbreaks and dates they were determined to be outbreaks are:
Nov. 30: Walmart No. 966 in Cortez. Three staff have tested positive.Nov. 25: Vista Mesa Assisted Living in Cortez. Twelve residents and four staff have tested positive.Nov. 18: Montezuma County Department of Social Services in Cortez. Seven staff have tested positive.Nov. 7: Cortez Seventh-day Adventist Church. Two staff have tested positive.A representative from Vista Mesa was not available to speak about the outbreak Wednesday, but agreed to comment on Thursday. The facility is managed by Continuum Health Management LLC, based in Greeley. Efforts to contact Montezuma County Department of Social Services were not successful Wednesday.
According to its website, Continuum Health Management manages four assisted living facilities in Colorado, including Vista Mesa in Cortez, Grace Pointe in Greeley, Sharmar Village Care Center in Pueblo and Spring Ridge Park in Wheat Ridge.
In addition to Vista Mesa, two other Continuum Health Management facilities have active outbreaks, according to the Colorado Department of Health.
At Spring Ridge Park Assisted Living, in Jefferson County, 31 residents and 21 staff have tested positive.At Grace Pointe Continuing Care, in Weld County, 20 residents and 20 staff tested positive, and one person has died because of COVID-19.
Also Wednesday, the Durango Herald reported that at least 15 residents and four staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Hilltop House community corrections center in Durango.
San Juan Basin Public Health verified a complaint made against Hilltop House on Friday about infection-control practices at the community corrections center.
The complaint reads: “I’d like to report a business (Hilltop House) for allowing sick individuals with fevers and coughs to sit in a waiting room full of other people. I have witnessed this weekly for the past three weeks. Today the staff took a temperature of a individual three times and said it was over 100 but go sit down. He sat within 3 ft of others filling out paperwork at the front desk. This is very bad for our community especially for people my age.”
Durango Herald reporter Jonathan Romeo contributed to this report.jmimiaga@the-journal.com