COVID-19 Denver Case Reporting

The following graphs reflect data from COVID-19 case reports among Denver county residents. These data also only include information about lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases who are Denver residents, so total counts will differ from those reflected at the top of the page which include lab-confirmed and probable cases.

The following map shows COVID-19 case rates by Denver neighborhood based on lab-confirmed cases through the Denver Public Health COVID-19 Surveillance System. These maps help us to better understand how COVID-19 is moving through and affecting our community.

COVID’s disproportionate impact on communities of color is critical, and we know there are clear disparities in diagnoses. Public Health agencies in Denver are working hard to ensure free testing and access to care and resources are available in communities that are most adversely impacted by the COVID epidemic in Denver.

Hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) data is based on lab-confirmed cases who are Denver county residents. Hospitalization and ICU data is recorded at the time of investigation and may not reflect changes once an investigation is complete. Data on those with incomplete investigations may not be reflected. These data come from the Colorado Electronic Disease Reporting System (CEDRS).

The following map shows cumulative COVID-19 hospitalization rates per 1,000 persons by Denver neighborhood based on lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases through the Colorado Electronic Disease Reporting System (CEDRS).

MAP NEEDED

Death data is based on information gathered from completed case investigations and reports from Denver's Office of the Medical Examiner, hospitals, and Colorado's Vital Statistics program. The number of deaths presented below includes both people who died from COVID-19 and those who died with COVID-19. The data below only includes information about confirmed cases, whereas the totals at the top of this page includes deaths among confirmed as well as probable cases.

The following map shows cumulative COVID-19 death rates per 1,000 persons by Denver neighborhood based on completed and pending cases investigations through the Denver Public Health COVID-19 Surveillance System.

MAP NEEDED

Health Equity and Racial Justice

Denver’s Public Health Agencies (DDPHE and DPH) aim to present data humbly, recognizing numbers never tell the whole story. We strive to work with individuals and communities to learn and share their stories to improve collective understanding. Knowing that people across life circumstances have inequitable opportunities to achieve optimal health, we commit to pair numbers and stories to inform policy and systems change to improve health for all.

To complement our commitment to equity in data, we also commit to racial equity, or the proactive reinforcement of policies, practices, attitudes, and actions that produce equitable power, access, opportunities, treatment, impacts, and outcomes for all.

Learn more about the principles behind these commitments, as well as the work we are doing to put them in action, here.

Overall Demographics

Overall demographic information for Denver County using 2019 census estimates is provided in orange to allow for the comparison to demographics of patients who have been hospitalized. This comparison helps Denver Public Health and other agencies assess trends and needs within our community.

Investigations are ongoing and not always complete at the time of analysis, therefore there may be cases where race and ethnicity is unknown.

Below you will find information about how the overall demographics of the COVID-19 epidemic in Denver have shifted, which aligns with a shift in exposures leading to infection. When COVID-19 cases were first reported in Denver in early March, a time when stay-at-home orders had not yet been enacted and there was still widespread travel, most cases were acquired through travel and/or exposure to a known case in specific settings (conference, health care workers). Over time as COVID-19 began spreading widely in the community, these exposures became a less likely source of exposure and more cases appeared among families and general contact with the community.

Weekly rates of COVID-19 infection per 1,000 people by race and ethnicity are calculated using 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) population estimates and data collected from completed case investigations. Over time, COVID-19 infection rates have varied in Denver but have consistently been elevated in our communities of color. Due to small numbers in some of our communities, these calculated rates are subject to large variations especially when breaking the data down by week. To see the rates by race and ethnicity over time, please click here.

Within the shift in demographics of COVID-19 cases in Denver, we have seen a notable increase over time in the proportion of cases who identify as Hispanic or Latino. The issue of COVID-19’s impact on racial/ethnic minorities is critical and analyzing data in this way can help us advocate for allocation of resources and outreach towards populations and communities with elevated needs.

We have also seen shifts over time in the age groups being most severely impacted by COVID-19 in Denver that align with shifts in exposures in the community. At the beginning of the pandemic we first saw increased rates of infection among older populations, notably people in their 70's and 80's, especially as long-term care facilities reported outbreaks. As COVID-19 began spreading further in the community, we began to see increased rates among people aged 20 to 40 years, which includes a large portion of our essential workforce. We continue to monitor trends in age demographics to better understand community spread. To see the most up to date data on rates by age group over time, which includes both completed and pending case interviews, please click here.