UPDATE: Grand County sees more negative COVID-19 tests come back without additional positive cases

The Grand County COVID-19 response team is reporting an uptick in negative coronavirus test results while the number of positive cases in the county remains the same.

According to the county’s response team, there have been 52 tests performed countywide with 30 of those coming back negative and 20 still awaiting results, as of Thursday night. At the same time, the number of positive COVID-19 tests held steady at two with a third case with close ties to the county also reported.

Because testing in Grand County has been so limited, local officials have said the coronavirus is likely more widespread than the numbers might indicate.

So far, state officials have discovered more than 1,400 COVID-19 cases in Colorado, and the virus is now blamed for at least 24 deaths, including a 94-year-old man from Aspen. As of Thursday, more than 10,000 people have been tested for the virus statewide, and there had been nine outbreaks at residential and non-hospital health care facilities.

Figures released by Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment show that Denver has the most positive COVID-19 cases in the state with 262 while Eagle, El Paso, Jefferson, Arapahoe and Weld counties, which are all reporting over 100 cases each.

In Summit County, where the state’s first case was discovered, the county was up to 11 confirmed cases on Thursday after two days with no additional cases reported. Health care professionals in Summit have also said that number is not indicative of the spread of the virus because of the limited amount of testing. 

Also, Moffat County had its first confirmed case of the coronavirus this week, and there were 16 confirmed cases in Garfield County as of Thursday.

Just north of Grand County, Routt County is up to 10 positive COVID-19 cases, including eight active cases, with more than 120 tests administered in the county.