Flu cases usually begin increasing around Thanksgiving and often peak in late December or January, said Haley Zachary, communicable disease division manager for El Paso County Public Health. This year’s activity is building weeks ahead of that pattern, though officials say it is too early to predict how the season will unfold.

“The only predictable thing about flu is that it’s unpredictable,” Zachary said.

No children have been hospitalized with flu in the county so far this season. That is a notable contrast with last year, when Colorado had a particularly severe flu season among children, according to public health officials.

The county is also monitoring COVID-19 and pertussis, commonly called whooping cough. An expanded public health dashboard launched earlier this year provides residents with local, regularly updated information on respiratory illnesses, outbreaks, vaccine-preventable diseases and other health concerns.

Zachary said county-level figures can give residents a clearer picture of illnesses circulating close to home than statewide numbers alone. Officials advise people to stay current on vaccinations, wash their hands, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home when sick to help limit transmission.