Grand County Public Health is working closely with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) to monitor progress and risk of the novel coronavirus that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are associated with a respiratory illness that results in fever, cough and shortness of breath. These viruses spread through coughing or sneezing, much like the flu.
Some coronaviruses are common and regularly cause illness in the U.S. in the fall and winter. There are many types of coronaviruses currently circulating in Colorado and the U.S. that cause respiratory illness. These illnesses are NOT COVID-19. Symptoms appear within 2-14 days after exposure.
We do not know yet how severe 2019 Novel Coronavirus is compared to other coronaviruses or how easily it can spread between humans.
There has been limited person to person transmission in the United States. People who have had close contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus persons are at greater risk of infection.
Currently, in Colorado there are NO cases of COVID-19. The risk for Coloradans is low at this time.
People who are at the greatest risk for this virus are:
- People who recently traveled from China
- Close contact with people that have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
As with other respiratory viruses, it is recommended that people protect themselves and others by practicing everyday actions:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub when soap and water is not available.
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid close contact with anyone that is experiencing symptoms of illness.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Avoid touching your face.
To get the most up to date information about this event, you can look at:
Issued: February 28, 2020