Colorado Covid Hospitalizations Rising Even With High Jab Rate

(Bloomberg) -- Covid-19 hospitalizations are rising again in Colorado even with more than 70% of those eligible in the state vaccinated, health officials said Friday.

The recent daily average has been around 900 hospitalizations, one of the highest readings since the pandemic started in March 2020, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Two weeks ago, the average was running around 875.

An estimated 40% of intensive care unit patients in Colorado are infected with Covid-19, and ICU capacity is running at roughly 86%, data show.

The delta variant and its relatives account for “100%” of known cases in the state, demonstrating delta’s staying power, Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist, said during an online news briefing.

“This continues to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” said Scott Bookman, the state’s Covid-19 incident commander.

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