SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — Across the state, COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise, but Summit County seems to be faring well as its intensive care unit beds remain available and its incidence rate falls.
According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s website, 88% of the state’s ICU beds are currently in use as of Tuesday, Sept. 21. There are 1,696 beds in the state and of those, 1,500 are currently in use. About 84% of the state’s acute care beds are in use, too.
While concerning, Summit County Public Health Director Amy Wineland said during a Summit County Board of Health meeting Tuesday that the region’s ICU bed capacity is holding steady.
“Right now, almost every county across the state is at a very high incidence rate,” Wineland said. “The good news for our region, … in terms of hospitalization capacity for ICU beds, is that we have almost 50% available in the mountain region, but that is not the case for most areas around the state. They’re in very high demand right now for their ICU bed availability.”
The state health department’s website groups Summit County in the central mountain region along with Eagle, Pitkin, Lake, Chaffee and Park counties. This region has 48% of its ICU beds available, the second highest in the state, behind only the southwest region.
> Watch video above: COVID testing sites return to Summit County
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