December 26, 2022

COVIDCheck Colorado banner hangs at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. (Tribal Radio/Crystal)

State health officials discuss the decline in respiratory infections

The CDC is reporting nationwide respiratory infections are up, compared to the last few years. But according to state health officials, Colorado’s numbers are declining.

By Sarah Flower

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reports a decrease in cases of RSV and Influenza A. Cases of COVID-19 are plateauing. While this is welcoming news, State Epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy is stressing caution during a time when people travel and gather in large numbers.

Rachel Herlihy: Honestly, I think it's difficult to predict what their trajectory for all of these viruses is going to look like. I mean, I think we know that they are unpredictable in nature. We know that with COVID-19. Over the last couple of years, we have sometimes seen multiple waves of illness including back to back wave of illness, so that certainly is the possibility.

Colorado reports a high number of group A strep cases in children–the most in five years. According to Dr. Herlihy, preliminary reports show that two children under six may have died of this infection last week. Nationally, health officials are seeing shortages of antibiotics that help treat Group A Strep. The Colorado Department of Public Health has yet not received any formal, out-of-state requests for medications or treatments that are in short supply.

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