Colorado had five population centers in 11 counties where 5% to 10% of COVID-19 test results came back positive last week, or between 10 and 100 new cases per 100,000 people, a previously unreleased report revealed.

The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit newsroom based in Washington, D.C., obtained a state-by-state analysis prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, dated July 14. The document, which was not made public until Wednesday, reported that 18 states were in the “red zone,” meaning their positive test rates exceeded 10% and new cases were greater than 100 per 100,000 people. 

Colorado’s statistics put the state in the “yellow zone.” The five areas that met the zone’s criteria were Denver-Lakewood-Boulder, Colorado Springs, Glenwood Springs, Edwards and Montrose.

In El Paso county, new cases per 100,000 residents has risen steadily since mid-June.  As of Thursday the county was seeing a 14-day average of 123 new cases per 100,000 residents up from 25 new cases per 100,000 residents over two weeks on June 15, according to data from El Paso County Public Health. The percent of people testing positive for COVID-19 on average over the last two weeks El Paso County is 7%, above the state’s goal of 5%.  

The report suggested policies for states in either zone, with yellow zone states advised to limit social gatherings to 25 people or fewer, close bars and recruit contact tracers. Public officials should also advise people to wear masks and to “reduce your public interactions and activities to 50% of your normal activity.”

 Bars and nightclubs are closed in Colorado. But larger social gatherings than recommended in the report are allowed in some instances. In El Paso County, indoor venues such as restaurants and gyms are allowed to have 175 people gathered or 50% of their occupancy, whichever is less. Outdoor venues, such as mini golf courses and paintball courses are allowed to have gatherings of 250 people or 50% of their capacity, whichever is less. The state could reduce the number of people allowed to gather in El Paso County at indoor and outdoor venues, if the spread of the virus isn’t slowed in the coming weeks. 

Some attractions could be forced to close if they aren’t allowed to have larger numbers of people gathered. 

Among Colorado’s neighbors, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Kansas were in the red zone for new cases, and Nevada and Arizona were also in the red zone for positive cases exceeding 10% of tests given.

Citing a recent increase in coronavirus infections, Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday issued a statewide mask mandate after weeks of resisting calls for the precautionary measure.

The Gazette’s Mary Shinn contributed to this report.