Colorado Reaches Record-Low Number Of Available Hospital Beds

COLORADO — Colorado has reached the lowest number of available hospital beds recorded in recent years, state public health officials said Wednesday.

“We are all very concerned at this point about what we are seeing in our hospitals," said Scott Bookman, COVID-19 incident commander with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. "We are moving in the wrong direction."

Over the past week, an average of 959 hospital beds were available across Colorado, Bookman said. As of Wednesday, only 125 ICU beds were available.

Bookman said the state is working closely with local counties to monitor the situation.

“We are in constant communication with our hospitals," he said.

Colorado hospitals are also facing the same staffing shortages that are seen in many sectors across the country, which is contributing to the hospital bed shortage, Bookman said.

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Over the past week, El Paso, Jefferson and Arapahoe counties have had the highest rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the state public health agency said.

The surge in hospitalizations is also impacted by many Coloradans returning to their normal lives, and getting in accidents or coming down with other illnesses, health officials said.

State health officials are urging Coloradans to reduce the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19 this Halloween by wearing a mask and being cautious during gatherings with friends and family.

“Please celebrate safely this weekend," Bookman said.