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Flu indicators are climbing in Colorado, although overall respiratory-virus activity remains low. COVID-19 is still circulating, but its recent signals are mixed: wastewater levels have risen across nearly all utilities tracking the virus, while reported hospitalizations have fallen from a mid-September high. The figures are a snapshot of statewide trends, not a forecast of any person’s risk.
Is flu going around in Colorado?
Yes. In its October 11, 2026 report, Colorado Public Radio (CPR) said flu test positivity, emergency-department visits and hospitalizations were increasing. The state epidemiologist, Dr. Rachel Herlihy, described the pattern as evidence “that influenza is here and is increasing.”
CPR reported 46 flu hospitalizations in the latest week discussed, compared with one in late August. The report does not establish a precise week label for the latest count, so these figures should not be read as a more exact week-to-week comparison.
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COVID-19 remains in circulation, but its indicators do not all point in the same direction. CPR reported that wastewater signals had increased across nearly all utilities tracking the virus in recent weeks. Reported COVID-19 hospitalizations, by contrast, had declined after reaching 43 in mid-September, the highest level since March, according to CPR. Herlihy said the pattern appeared to be stabilizing.
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| Virus | Recent direction reported in Colorado | Indicator and reported burden |
|---|---|---|
| Flu | Rising from a low baseline | Test positivity, emergency-department visits and hospitalizations were increasing; CPR reported 46 hospitalizations in the latest week discussed. |
| COVID-19 | Mixed signals | Wastewater signals rose across nearly all reporting utilities; hospitalizations had fallen from 43 in mid-September. |
These measures are not interchangeable: wastewater signals are not a count of diagnosed infections, and they do not guarantee that a hospitalization surge will follow. A rise in flu indicators can also coexist with low overall respiratory-virus activity when the increase starts from a low level.
What does the state data say about overall respiratory activity?
CPR characterized overall Colorado viral respiratory activity as low in its October 11 report even as several flu indicators rose. That is not a contradiction: the statewide activity level can remain low while particular measures trend upward.
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The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s viral respiratory data service describes data spanning March 2020 to the present and says it updates weekly on Wednesdays. The service description does not provide the current metric values cited here; the counts and trends above are attributed to CPR’s report.
Why does the prior flu season matter?
CPR reported more than 5,900 flu hospitalizations in Colorado during the prior season, including nearly 1,200 among children. It also described approximately 800 hospitalizations in the week between Christmas and New Year’s as a record. Those figures illustrate how much flu burden can vary over a season; they do not predict how this season will unfold.
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What is the national context?
The CDC’s national summary, updated October 9, 2026, said seasonal flu was increasing in many areas but remained low overall. It described COVID-19 as declining nationally, though still elevated in some regions, and RSV as very low in most areas. These are national trends, not a substitute for Colorado’s state data. See the CDC Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should Coloradans know about vaccine timing?
Herlihy encouraged people to receive respiratory-virus vaccines ahead of the seasonal peak, noting that full protection takes a couple of weeks. “This is really the optimum time to start receiving these vaccines,” she said, as quoted by CPR. The CDC says annual flu and COVID-19 vaccines are available and advises people to consult a healthcare professional about which vaccines are recommended for them. This is general timing information, not individualized medical advice.
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