One in 40 Coloradans are infected with the novel coronavirus, and public health experts say that does not include anyone who was exposed to the virus over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Saturday released a new modeling report that shows COVID-19 infections continue to rise in the state although at a slower rate than in mid-November. The state is seeing its highest prevalence rate since the first coronavirus case was reported in March, according to the modeling report. An estimated 16.5% of the state’s 5.8 million residents have been infected to date.
At this pace, 2,120 people could end up hospitalized, including 665 in an ICU, because of COVID-19, the report said.
Public health experts said Colorado residents practiced proper social distancing in the week leading to Thanksgiving and that behavior could prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by patients. However, with many people planning holiday gatherings and travel, health officials have been wary and are anxiously watching for outbreaks in the coming weeks.
Hospitalizations dropped slightly this week. On Thursday, 1,956 people were hospitalized across the state with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, CDPHE reported earlier this week. Eighty percent of the Colorado’s intensive care unit beds are in use, according to state data.
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