COVID-19 Cases Increase in Colorado

HOSPITALIZATIONS EQUAL TO DECEMBER 2020

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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Colorado epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy confirmed that COVID-19 cases increased in the state during the first two weeks of October. “At the beginning of the month, Colorado ranked 41^st among states most impacted by the virus. Two weeks later, the state jumped to 14^th. The number of cases is the highest we have seen since January,” Herlihy said.

The epidemiologist explained that the largest increase in cases occurred in the eastern plains in areas such as Cheyenne, Kiowa and Bent. High rates of transmission have also been reported in the San Luis Valley and other areas in southwestern Colorado. Meanwhile, medium levels of transmission have been found in the metropolitan area. Children between 6 and 11 years old, followed by those between 12 and 17, are the groups with the highest number of infections.

What is the Cause?

Herlihy did not try to pinpoint the factors that led to the growing trend of COVID-19. “We know that the increase is probably related to the season of the year. It’s hard to know for sure. Right now, it is not uniform in the colder northern states where we are seeing an increase in cases,” she said. Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota are the four states with the highest growth of the virus.

“I think there is a lot that we still don’t know about the temporary nature of these waves of COVID and how they relate to the Delta variant. So, I think there is a lot more to learn,” Herlihy explains. The epidemiologist also did not anticipate when this trend could be reversed. “It will not be until we see several weeks of decline in cases that we can feel safe,” she said.

Record Hospitalizations

As of October 15^th, some 982 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 in Colorado. This is the highest number of hospitalizations for the virus that has been recorded during 2021. This number of hospitalizations is equal to that reached in December 2020 during the second wave of the pandemic. According to the authorities of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), 78 percent of those hospitalized were unvaccinated.

“I think it’s a challenge for us to know what the next couple of weeks and months hold. But I think it is an important reminder that COVID-19 is still here, and we still need people to get vaccinated. The booster vaccine is also critical. All of the strategies that we have been using to control transmission must be applied,” Herlihy concluded.

Flu Shot

CDPHE officials also encouraged all Coloradans to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu. Everyone can be vaccinated against COVID and the flu at the same time. These two vaccines are free, and patients do not need a prescription to receive them.