Friday, May 8, 2009

DPHE Reports 38 H1N1 Cases in Colorado

The Department of Public Health and Environment announced today that there are 38 confirmed cases of H1N1 infection in the state.

The cases come from these counties: Adams (6), Arapahoe (8), Boulder (1), Denver
(7), Douglas (1), Eagle (3), Fremont (1), Garfield (4), Jefferson (5), La Plata (1), and Morgan (1).

None of the cases involved hospitalization. All of the patients are recovering from the swine flu infection.

The public may continue to get general information about H1N1 by calling CoHELP at 1-877-462-2911. CoHELP hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday. Recorded messages continue to be available at CoHELP 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People also can find information by visiting DPHE's web site at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

DPHE Reports 25 H1N1 Cases in Colorado

The Department of Public Health and Environment reported today that there are now 25 confirmed cases of H1N1 virus in Colorado.

The infections are in the following counties: Adams (4), Arapahoe (6), Boulder (1), Denver (3), Douglas (1), Eagle (3), Fremont (1), Garfield (2) and Jefferson (4).

None of the patients in these cases were hospitalized, and all are recovering.

The public may continue to get general information about H1N1 by calling CoHELP at 1-877-462-2911. CoHELP hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday. Recorded messages continue to be available at CoHELP 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People can also find information about the swine flu virus by visiting DPHE's web site at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Cold Case Funding Bill Again Includes Death Penalty Ban

A conference committee restored this morning to a bill funding investigations of "cold cases" a provision repealing Colorado's death penalty.

The senate had removed the death penalty repeal during debate on HB 1274 earlier in the week, adopting a bipartisan amendment offered by Sens. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and Josh Penry, R-Fruita, that would directly appropriate funds for such investigations from a new $2.50 fine applicable to all criminal convictions and traffic infraction verdicts.

The conference committee, which included members of the House of Representatives who had supported the death penalty repeal, returned to the proposal to fund cold case investigations by using money that would otherwise go toward capital punishment.

Both chambers of the General Assembly will consider the conference committee report today before adjourning the session.

Gov. Bill Ritter, a former prosecutor, has not publicly said whether he would sign a bill repealing the state's death penalty.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Former Sen. Grossman Named to Ethics Panel

A former Democratic state legislator has been appointed to one of the five seats on the state's Independent Ethics Commission.

Dan Grossman, who served as a state representative between 1997-2003 and as a state senator from 2003-2007, was nominated by Senate president Peter Groff, D-Denver, to replace Republican Sally Hooper.

Grossman's nomination will have to be confirmed by the state senate. The vote on the nomination is expected to occur Wednesday.

Gov. Bill Ritter will name a replacement for Democratic commission member Nancy Friedman. Ritter is required by law to appoint a Republican to that seat.

The Independent Ethics Commission is responsible for enforcing Amendment 41, the far-reaching anti-corruption initiative approved by voters in 2006.

Ten Colorado H1N1 Cases

The state has used a new laboratory testing procedure to confirm four additional cases of swine flu infection in Colorado, bringing the total to ten.

The new cases reported today are two elementary school-age children, from Adams and Jefferson counties, as well as a college-age man from Adams County and a Fremont County woman.

There were six cases confirmed earlier.

The Department of Public Health and Environment recommends that people who experience influenza symptoms should stay home for seven days after onset of symptoms or at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Six H1N1 Cases in Colorado

The Department of Public Health and Environment is now reporting six confirmed cases of H1N1 virus.

The six confirmed cases are in the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Eagle and Jefferson (2). Four of the victims are men, one is a woman, and one is a pre-teenage boy.

Only one of the six cases required hospitalization. That patient has been discharged and all who have been confirmed as having contracted the virus are recovering.

There is evidence that the swine flu virus is circulating in the United States and Colorado. Individuals do not need to have traveled to Mexico or another area of the U.S. to have been exposed to the virus.

Local public health agencies are responsible for investigating cases in their communities.

People who experience influenza symptoms should stay home for seven days after onset of symptoms or at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.

The public can obtain general information about H1N1 by calling 1-877-462-2911 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday through Friday and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Information is also available at DPHE's web site, http://www.cdphe.state.co.us.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

DPHE Announces 2 New Colorado Swine Flu Cases

The Department of Public Health and Environment said today that there are two new cases of swine flu in Colorado.
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6077175309734867272
Both are in Jefferson County and neither patient was hospitalized.

“The new cases are not unexpected, and do not change the state’s
approach to the H1N1 flu outbreak,” the state's chief medical officer, Dr. Ned
Calonge, said at a news conference.

The new cases involve a middle-school aged man who had recently traveled to an affected area in the U.S. and another man in his twenties.

“Of the two new confirmed cases, both had possible exposure to travelers having visited Mexico or a part of the country where H1N1 is known to be circulating,” Calonge said.

DPHE is awaiting confirmation of six additional cases from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Colorado has had four confirmed cases of H1N1 infection this year. Other than the two announced today, a person in Arapahoe County and a person in Douglas County have been infected.