A year ago this month, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment began tracking outbreaks of COVID-19 in the state. Out of more than 4,000 sites identified as outbreaks since then, 32 have registered more than 100 COVID-19 cases each, with five of them topping 1,000 several by a lot.
The department s data, most recently updated on March 31, shows that the vast majority of those mega-outbreaks remain under active investigation a reflection of the massive infection counts and their potential ripple effects. Even the outbreak at the Weld County Jail, whose start date is listed as April 1, 2020, and Denver s Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center, which began last April 30, are still classified as active. The largest outbreak considered resolved was a November 2020 flare-up at the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Crowley County, following 1,044 cases and four resident (i.e., inmate) deaths.