Colorado recorded the highest seven-day average of new confirmed coronavirus cases during the past week, as a third wave of the virus threatened to pack hospitals and drove officials to plead for more people to take precautions, including masks and social distancing.

The new confirmed cases surpassed 800 a day, Gov. Jared Polis announced in a news conference Friday. He says the spike in cases is due to “coronavirus fatigue” or the overwhelming response of feeling fed up with the pandemic.

To help limit the virus’ spread Polis said he will renew the state’s mask mandate, extending it another 30 days.

Polis said masks are important even in rural communities, which have seen a similar spike to that experienced in Denver.

In Denver County, coronavirus cases climbed higher with 129 new infections reported on Wednesday and 1,277 cases in the previous two weeks, according to the county health department. It’s the biggest spike for Denver since July.

In El Paso County, the state’s most populous, cases spiked in recent days with more than 104 new infections reported on Wednesday and 716 new cases over two weeks, according to the county health department. The last time the county reported more than 100 new cases in a day was in July during the last spike. 

The county is also seeing 100 new cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days on Friday, well above the two-week rate of 75 new cases per 100,000 residents needed to maintain the first level of Safer at Home rules. The first level allows larger in-person gatherings than the second and third levels of Safer at Home.

El Paso County has two weeks to lower the average number of new cases, although it’s unclear if it faces any repercussions if it fails since it could be granted aa two-week extension after that, according to a written statement from El Paso County Public Health. 

If the rate does not drop sufficiently by Oct. 18, the county will enter negotiations with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to determine next steps, the statement said. 

If the county moved to the second level of Safer at Home, smaller gatherings could be required. The cap on in-person gatherings, including inside restaurants, could be lowered from 175 people to 100 and from 250 people outside to 175 with social distancing requirements.

Other main indicators of disease spread in El Paso County are also moving in the wrong direction.  

The number of people in Pikes Peak region hospitals with COVID-19 or under investigation for the disease was up to 38 on Thursday, the agency said. The number of hospitalizations has been rising since the end of September when hospitals reported 19 cases, the data shows. 

“We have plenty of capacity and resources right now, but of course this increase has our attention,” the statement said. 

The percentage of El Paso County residents  testing positive is running at 3.37%, county data shows. The indicator is tracking up, but it is below the 5% positive required to maintain current rules. The number of people getting tested in the county is also way up with more than 2,300 test results reported Wednesday, an all time high. 

Even as the pandemic drags on into its ninth month, Polis said mask wearing, social distancing and washing hands are as important as ever.

“We need to be smarter, we need to redouble our efforts,” Polis said.

Polis also emphasized that the virus doesn’t discriminate, when he discussed hospitalization data during Friday’s conference.

“It’s the president of the United States, it’s your friends, and it could be you if you’re not careful,” Polis said.

Earlier during the pandemic, Latino and other minority communities led hospitalization rates, but white Coloradans now surpass all other racial and ethnics groups, making up 52% of those hospitalized.

When it comes to age groups, 60-69 year olds lead hospitalizations at 24%, but make up only 11% of Colorado’s population, according to state data. Other leading groups for hospitalizations are 50-59 year olds making up 19% of hospitalizations and 12% of the population.

Younger people, particularly 20-29 year olds, account for more than 6% of hospitalizations, according to state data.

Compared to all other age demographics, 20-29 year olds lead the number of El Paso County COVID-19 cases with more than 170 infections during the past two weeks.

During Friday’s news conference Polis also addressed the economic impact of COVID-19 and announced that the state would allocate $14.9 million in federal grant money for economic relief from housing assistance to food pantry funding.

“This is a key, bold policy that gets money out to Coloradans,” Polis said.

Some of the money will also go toward helping small businesses throughout Colorado. 

But $14.9 million won’t meet everyone’s needs. 

Polis said the state received more than 6,000 applications requesting funding for small businesses, and applicants are being turned away.

Polis fears the spike in coronavirus cases could worsen with family gathering during the holidays coming up. 

“I believe that more of this is behind us than ahead of us,” Polis said.

Gazette reporter Evan Wyloge contributed to this report.