COVID cases in Colorado still on the rise with BA.2 variant present

Just when we were ready to move on, COVID-19 infections in Colorado are on the rise

Driving the news: The "stealth Omicron" variant BA.2 now accounts for 36% of the cases in Colorado, data shows.

• In the last two weeks, rates increased on par with states in the Northeast, where outbreaks are leading to substantial spikes and a renewed mask mandate.
• The numbers don't include at-home COVID-19 test results.

What they're saying: State epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy told Axios Denver that public health officials are continuing to monitor the numbers, per a statement. She added that cases are plateauing across Colorado.

• The state's positivity rate for PCR tests hovered near 4%, just below a key benchmark, and hospitalizations remain low.

Zoom in: The counties with the highest two-week incidence rates include Denver, Broomfield, Boulder and Larimer on the Front Range, as well as Routt, Summit, Pitkin and Chaffee in the mountains.

The big picture: Colorado public health officials are starting to treat the coronavirus like other diseases, backtracking on monitoring and public outreach.

• By the end of the month, the state will close 40 more testing sites, leaving 80 open statewide.