Colorado health officials said Wednesday that they expect hospitalizations from the novel coronavirus to surpass the highs seen in April in the next two or three days.
If transmission of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, continues at the current level, then Colorado’s hospitals will exceed capacity in their intensive-care units by late December — or sooner if people gather during the holidays, said Dr. Jon Samet, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health.
Both the state’s rate of positive test results and the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 have jumped in recent weeks. This means transmission of the disease is increasing and that the rise in new cases is not simply due to more testing.
The percentage of tests coming back positive over the past seven days is 8.92%. The World Health Organization recommends that the positivity rate stay below 5%.
The number of people hospitalized across the state with COVID-19 is nearing Colorado’s peak of 888 patients in April, according to the state health department. As of Tuesday, 814 people were hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19, which is up 59 patients from the day before and the highest number since April 25.
More than 13,700 new COVID-19 cases were reported last week, which is is the second week in a row that more than 10,000 new cases were confirmed in the state. Colorado recorded 2,229 another cases on Monday, according to the health department.
Demand for testing also has increased, with community test sites in the metro area experiencing long lines and closing early as they reach capacity. On Wednesday, public health officials announced the Stride Community COVID-19 testing site at JeffCo Stadium reached capacity before 9 a.m. — less than an hour after the location opened.
