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Public health director warns of rising RSV detections and pauses local wastewater surveillance
Summary
Ouray County Public Health reported 2026 communicable disease trends, including statewide measles cases and increasing local RSV detections, and said county wastewater surveillance will pause when designated funding ends in March; public health encouraged MMR vaccination and offered free COVID test kits.
Kristen Kelly, Ouray County Public Health director, updated the Board on March communicable‑disease trends and county public‑health programs, reporting that Colorado has seen eight measles cases so far in 2026 (primarily unvaccinated 5–17 year olds) and that local wastewater monitoring has detected rising RSV signals.
Kelly announced that the county is pausing its local wastewater surveillance because the designated funding ends in March; she said the CDPHE statewide wastewater program will continue to collect broader data and that the county hopes to secure funding for fall/winter surveillance. The lab testing cost cited during the meeting was $125 per sample.
Kelly also highlighted Wellness Palooza (a family‑friendly, sober event on March 15), the regional West Central Public Health Partnership projects (Credible Mind and a Community Resource Network to close referral loops), and a chronic‑disease funding program that will support prevention and screening. She encouraged residents to ensure MMR immunizations are up to date and noted two‑dose MMR effectiveness at approximately 97 percent.
On MPox, Kelly said Colorado has seen a small number of clade‑2 cases in 2026 and that surveillance will continue. She asked the board and public to follow basic precautions, to contact public health for vaccine eligibility and to use available at‑home COVID tests stored at the public‑health office.
Kelly said the county’s WIC caseload is inching up and that Carroll School of Public Health interns are preparing a community‑health needs assessment to be launched in mid‑March. She also confirmed that public‑health staff will provide copies of lab‑costs and program funding details if commissioners want to pursue community partners to bridge the program funding gap over the summer.
