DENVER — Flu cases are surging in Colorado, and hospitalizations are more than double what they were this time last year.
For the week ending on Dec. 27, 791 people were hospitalized with the flu in Colorado, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
So far, 2,450 people in Colorado have been hospitalized with the flu since Oct. 1.
UCHealth reported that it is seeing a sharp rise in cases, which is typical this time of year due to holiday gatherings. They have roughly 200 patients hospitalized with the flu at UCHealth hospitals across the state.
UCHealth said it is hard to predict when cases will peak, but they expect hospitalizations to increase over the next few weeks.
Doctors recommend people mask up, stay home if they are sick, and wash their hands.
It’s not too late to get a flu shot. It may still be effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and possibly death, even if the vaccine doesn’t perfectly align with the circulating strain.
This flu season, 27.5% of Coloradans have been vaccinated for the flu. That’s just slightly below last year's vaccination rate of 28.8%.
There has been one pediatric influenza-related death this season.
