STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Routt County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday further extended the local emergency declaration prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originally declared March 13, the extension keeps the local emergency in place until Dec. 3. It ensures that Routt County is eligible for any funding assistance to cover additional costs because of the pandemic and provides access to resources.

This is the eighth extension to the declaration made by the commissioners Many communities have used similar emergency declarations because of the pandemic. In Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis issued an emergency declaration order March 10. Three days later, President Donald Trump issued a national emergency, which has been extended through the end of the year.

Routt County recently was moved to Level 1 of the state’s Safer at Home plan, loosening restrictions on how many people can gather together.  There were 10 new cases of the virus in Routt County from Oct. 5 to Oct. 11 with 660 tests administered during that time. 

There have been a total of 173 cases and eight deaths in the county due to the pandemic, according to the county’s dashboard.

To reach Dylan Anderson, call 970-871-4247 or email danderson@SteamboatPilot.com.