FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 3, 2020

Officials Announce First Montrose County COVID-19 Death

Montrose, COLO.—Montrose County Public Health and Montrose County Coroner Dr. Thomas Canfield M.D. announced the first death of a Montrose County resident associated with COVID-19. The individual was 61-year-old female who died on April 2 and had tested positive for COVID-19. She had been receiving medical care for underlying conditions for an extended period. The case is under investigation by Montrose County Coroner’s Office of Medical Investigations and Montrose County Public Health.

"We are deeply saddened by the news that we’ve dreaded since the earliest days of this pandemic,” said Montrose County Public Health Medical Adviser Dr. Joseph Adragna M.D., M.H.A., M.G.H. "Our thoughts are with this patient’s family and loved ones in mourning her loss and honoring her memory.”

Yesterday, Montrose County saw an increase in 12 positive cases of COVID-19 and an additional six positive cases are reported today. County officials are seeing an increase in community spread and encouraging the public to stay home and save lives.

 “We know these are trying times, and we cannot stress enough the importance of staying home,” said Montrose County Emergency Preparedness and Communicable Disease Coordinator Lisa Gallegos. “Everyone has a part to play in public health—by staying home and limiting your contacts, you can save lives.”

For information on COVID-19 in Montrose County, please visit www.montrosecounty.net/COVID19.

This concludes this press release in its entirety.  No additional information is available at this time.

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                                                                                    Thomas M. Canfield MD, Coroner