More deaths and hospitalizations in Colorado's COVID-19 forecast

Colorado’s COVID-19 death rate is projected to spike by nearly 50% between now and mid-September, according to forecasting from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• The latest CDC modeling shows that total weekly coronavirus deaths could increase from 36 as of Aug. 23 to 53 by Sept. 18.

• Meanwhile, Colorado’s health department projections as of late July show the trajectory of local hospitalizations falling closer in line with health officials’ worst-case scenario compared with more hopeful models, the Denver Post reports.

Yes, but: Colorado’s projected COVID-19 death count remains relatively low compared with the rest of the country’s, in part because of a greater vaccine rate.

The big picture: The U.S. is projected to suffer nearly 100,000 more COVID deaths between now and Dec. 1, AP writes from the influential model by the University of Washington.

• If that forecast plays out, the overall U.S. death toll would hit nearly 730,000 since the pandemic’s start.

Between the lines: Health experts say that toll could be cut in half if nearly everyone wore a mask in public spaces.