COVID cases and hospitalizations falling in Colorado, though not uniformly across age groups or geography

The wide numbers of caller COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are falling successful Colorado, but nationalist wellness officials cautioned Friday that the authorities is seeing “quite a spot of variability” arsenic those downward trends aren’t azygous statewide oregon crossed each property groups.

New cases person been declining statewide, and successful caller days the fig of radical hospitalized successful Colorado with the microorganism has fallen arsenic well. But Scott Bookman, the state’s COVID-19 incidental commander, noted successful a quality briefing that the fig of radical hospitalized remains adjacent the highest of the archetypal question successful outpouring 2020.

As of Friday, 917 radical with confirmed oregon suspected COVID-19 were hospitalized statewide, down from the 5th wave’s precocious constituent of 1,021 successful mid-September. Seventy-eight percent of Colorado’s hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated, according to authorities data.

“While we are seeing a beauteous dependable alteration present successful our hospitalizations, we are inactive astatine an incredibly precocious complaint of hospitalizations compared to wherever we privation to be,” helium said. “And truthful portion we are connected the opening of a downward inclination here, we truly request to spot these hospitalizations spell down importantly earlier we’re going to consciousness comfy with the infirmary capableness that we person arsenic we commencement going into the colder upwind play and radical commencement moving indoors.”

When it comes to transmission of the virus, astir Colorado counties are seeing a diminution successful caller cases, Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the authorities epidemiologist, said during the briefing. But determination are expectations, including Moffat, Grand and Mesa counties, she said.

“Some transmission is higher connected the Eastern Plains,” Herlihy said. “The San Luis Valley is surely lasting retired here, that’s a spot present wherever we are seeing really expanding rates wherever astir of the authorities is seeing declining rates.”

Likewise, portion astir property groups are experiencing a driblet successful COVID-19 cases, caller infections are rising successful children excessively young to beryllium vaccinated. Colorado’s highest rates of caller corruption successful caller days were among children betwixt 6 and 11, Herlihy said. New cases are falling successful adults and successful children betwixt 12 and 17, a radical that much precocious became eligible to person the vaccine.

“We’re astir apt starting to spot a wide payment of vaccination successful that property group,” Herlihy said.

Since the onset of the pandemic, Colorado has recorded 673,517 cases of COVID-19 and 7,887 deaths owed to the virus, according to authorities data.

More than 70% of eligible Coloradans were afloat vaccinated arsenic of Friday.