Colorado announces seventh coronavirus death as patient numbers balloon

Woman dies from COVID-19 in Weld County

A seventh person in Colorado has died from the new coronavirus as the number of people infected with the disease in the state has ballooned to nearly 600. The death announced Sunday is the fifth fatality in four days.

No cases have been reported in Montezuma, La Plata or Dolores counties.

Weld County public health officials announced on Sunday that a woman in her 70s died from COVID-19, which is caused by the coronavirus.

She is the second Weld County resident to die from the infection caused by the coronavirus.

Weld County’s health department director Dr. Mark Wallace said as of Sunday there are 48 cases of COVID-19 in the massive northern Colorado county. “We expected an increase as the state lab continues to clear a backlog of test results.”

The six other people who have died, in chronological order, are:

An El Paso County woman in her 80s.A Weld County man in his 70s.An El Paso County man in his 60s.An older resident of Crowley County.A Vail musician in his 60s.An El Paso County man in his 70s.The coronavirus is especially dangerous for people age 60 and older and for anyone with a preexisting medical condition, particularly those with compromised immune systems.The majority of people who are infected with the disease have only mild symptoms, however.The coronavirus is confirmed to be in at least 29 of Colorado’s 64 counties. There are nearly 60 people hospitalized.