The city of Durango this week released a video discussing the local response to the COVID-19 outbreak sweeping across the country.
As of Saturday, the state of Colorado was reporting 475 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 4,550 people tested, and five deaths. There were no confirmed cases in a five-county region of Southwest Colorado, including La Plata, Montezuma, Archuleta, Dolores and San Juan counties.
San Juan County, N.M., announced its first positive case Saturday.
“We urge you to stay at home and reduce your exposure to avoid overwhelming our small, rural health care system, and many of you have done so,” said La Plata County Commissioner Gwen Lachelt in the video. “The worst may be yet to come.”
Liane Jollon, executive director of San Juan Basin Public Health, discussed the limited testing the health department began doing Friday and Saturday at the fairgrounds.
The testing is for people meeting specific criteria, including showing symptoms of the COVID-19 and having a physician’s referral, among others.
“We cannot offer more widespread testing, because it is not available anywhere in the nation yet,” Jollon said. “... This is the very first tests that we can offer the community to get our arms wrapped around what we have here as far as infection and transmission rates.”
The 22-minute video features statements by Durango Mayor Melissa Youssef, Lachelt, Jollon, La Plata County Manager Chuck Stevens and interim City Manager Amber Blake.
The video can be viewed on YouTube at https://bit.ly/2xZqXi5.
