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Pitkin County health staff report summer rise in COVID‑19, HPAI monitoring and changes to wastewater surveillance
Summary
At the July 11 Pitkin County Board of Health meeting, communicable‑disease staff described a routine summer rise in COVID‑19 cases, state activity around highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) affecting dairy operations and a statewide change reducing routine wastewater sentinel sites to 20 — Aspen selected as a sentinel site.
Carly, Pitkin County communicable‑disease staff, told the Board of Health on July 11 that a summer rise in COVID‑19 cases is occurring nationally and locally and is consistent with seasonal patterns of waning immunity and circulating variants. "Is COVID‑19 here? Absolutely," Carly said, noting increases linked to waning immunity, variant immune evasion and summer events.
Nut graf: Carly also warned the board about state‑level activity on HPAI (avian influenza) affecting cattle and poultry, noted one human case in Colorado (a mild illness in a dairy worker) and described local guidance. "The risk to the public is incredibly low," Carly said, but recommended avoiding unpasteurized dairy products and avoiding contact with sick poultry or cattle; testing is available and PPE and biosecurity measures are being offered to affected facilities.
Carly summarized wastewater surveillance changes statewide: Colorado will reduce routine wastewater submission sites from roughly 55 to 20 effective Aug. 1; ten of the retained sites are sentinel sites chosen to represent regional trends and about seven are high‑tourism sites. "Aspen was selected as 1 of those high tourism representations," Carly said, and Glenwood was also selected. Sentinel sites will supply biweekly data to CDPHE. Carly noted the overall coverage will fall from about 65% to roughly 48% of the state's population because of the reduction but said emergency surveillance sites will remain available and can be activated quickly in a public‑health emergency.
Board members asked whether Aspen has wastewater monitoring (yes) and whether local hospitals are submitting influenza A positives for sequencing (Aspen Valley Hospital runs many PCR tests and local labs will forward positives for sequencing when indicated).
Ending: Staff said they will monitor trends, coordinate with state partners and notify the public if advisories are issued. The CDC will hold a COCA call to discuss HPAI on July 16, which staff flagged for interested stakeholders.
