Denver Doctor: COVID 'Invaded From Every Direction'

DENVER (CBS4)- Two Denver doctors issued dire warnings on Wednesday about spiking COVID-19 infection rates. This comes as Colorado coronavirus cases continue to surge with a 10.38% daily positivity rate on Nov. 10.

"We're kind of invaded from every direction," said Dr. Whitney Kennedy who runs a clinic in northwest Denver. "In the last two weeks, just the sheer number of tests that we're doing has gone up exponentially."

She said of the 18 patients tested last Friday, nine came back positive. She said a group of eight people had been at a dinner party.

"Every single person got COVID," said the physician.

In another case, she said a 17-year-old patient went out on Halloween with two friends and none wore masks. All three have now tested positive for the virus.

"For every positive that we get in these young adults, they can pass them on to higher risk patients that are the ones that are probably being admitted. We really need to treat every single other person like they have COVID right now," said Kennedy.

She said she has canceled plans to get together with family at Thanksgiving.

"We're all going to need to make some serious investments in taking time without our family, unfortunately, so that we can make it through this winter. You have to do your part."

Dr. Jane Jenab made a similar ask.

"We are asking people to not have large family gatherings for Thanksgiving and Christmas," said Jenab.

She is a Denver-based emergency department doctor currently working at a hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"Huge uptick in cases, the volumes have gone through the roof when it comes to COVID. Across the country it's surging. The Midwest is just exploding with cases right now."

She told CBS4 that at the New Mexico hospital where she is currently assigned, "We have been boarding patients in the emergency department here. So, we've had 30-40 patients in the ED waiting for beds."

Jenab said she believes the increasing infection rates are due to people heading inside because of colder weather along with "COVID fatigue": people are tired of having to wear masks and tired of living under restrictions.

"So folks are being a little lax when it comes to doing the things that can really protect us like wearing masks and keeping six feet away from folks and not being in close quarters with people who don't live in your house with you."

Jenab says people need to consider skipping Thanksgiving get-togethers "because we know that it is going to put the country at risk for another massive surge, which is what we have seen, after family get togethers and holidays in the past."

She said doctors across the country are "exhausted" and are pleading with citizens to do all that they can to help stop the virus from spreading.