Colorado COVID hospitalizations drop — but cases could stay elevated - Axios DenverLog InLog InAxios Denver is an Axios company.

Colorado COVID hospitalizations drop — but cases could stay elevated

Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios Colorado's COVID-19 hospitalizations are falling fast. But officials warn that case counts could remain elevated — and underreported — as people get reinfected after previous waves. By the numbers: The state saw a 14% drop in COVID hospitalizations this week compared to last, with 268 beds taken as of Tuesday. Outbreaks have also dipped slightly, from 390 to 385.Meanwhile, the state's seven-day positivity rate is — nearly a 1% drop from the week prior. Yes, but: Health officials warn that cases are undercounted, skewing whether levels are truly trending downward, how widespread the virus is and what that means for hospitals. The big picture: The uncertainty comes at a precarious time, as kids prepare to return to school this fall and cooler weather packs people indoors. What they're saying: The "challenge" with projecting infections is that many people who caught COVID during the December and January wave "are getting reinfected," Talia Quandelacy, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health, the Denver Post. Other variables — including how quickly and how rapidly the virus mutates — are further complicating the fall forecast. What to watch: The Biden administration plans to begin rolling out updated COVID booster shots next month, Axios' Shawna Chen and Caitlin Owens . The retooled formulas are expected to provide stronger protection against the new — the most transmissible evolution of the virus yet. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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