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THREAD: About three weeks ago when we set out to investigate coronavirus-related deaths at Colorado nursing homes/senior care centers we weren't sure what we would find.
But we quickly realized there was something really bad happening...
But we quickly realized there was something really bad happening...
The state only started releasing information about where outbreaks were happening on March 28 after an open records request from @DenverPost. But the state didn't provide details about infections and deaths.
Our first story found at least 32 fatalities: https://coloradosun.com/2020/04/04/colorado-nursing-home-coronavirus-deaths/
Our first story found at least 32 fatalities: https://coloradosun.com/2020/04/04/colorado-nursing-home-coronavirus-deaths/
Gov. Jared Polis thanked us for the revelations and said he would work to get the information out sooner.
Another week passed and the state hadn't released data, so we dug again. This time, we found 64 deaths: https://coloradosun.com/2020/04/09/colorado-nursing-home-coronavirus-deaths-2/
Another week passed and the state hadn't released data, so we dug again. This time, we found 64 deaths: https://coloradosun.com/2020/04/09/colorado-nursing-home-coronavirus-deaths-2/
We kept pushing for more information from the state, counties and facilities themselves. Other media outlets joined in.
Then on Saturday the state announced a bad outbreak at Juniper Village at Aurora. Many of the residents and staff there tested positive and as many as eight people had died: https://coloradosun.com/2020/04/11/juniper-village-coronavirus-outbreak-deaths-positive-cases/
The state vowed to release detailed info starting today...
The state vowed to release detailed info starting today...
About 10 days after our first story, the state has released its data on deaths and infections among nursing home/senior care center residents, and the numbers are staggering: https://coloradosun.com/2020/04/15/colorado-nursing-home-coronavirus-deaths-released-cdphe/
As many as 176 deaths -- half of all coronavirus-related fatalities in the state. Hundreds of infections. Facilities big and small across the state affected.
This is why local journalism is so important. Please become a Colorado Sun member so we can keep digging into important stories like this one: http://coloradosun.com/join
And if not The Sun support local journalism in your community. This is a scary time for journalists who are losing their jobs across the country. You have the power to stop that.
