HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — The state of Alabama is well into its next surge of COVID-19 with both cases and hospitalizations ramping up with numbers at levels that haven’t been seen since the start of this year.

According to Dr. Wes Stubblefield with the Alabama Department of Public, even though these numbers aren’t the highest the state has seen, the amount of COVID in the community is still high enough to cause medical experts to worry.

At this time, the state is averaging around 2,000 positive COVID cases a day. When in early April, Alabama saw some of the lowest numbers of COVID, the state has ever seen, reporting around 100 COVID casesa day

It’s not just cases, hospitalization statewide has also seen a spike. As of Wednesday, the state had 517 patients in hospitals battling the virus.

“We are very much assuming that this is an undercount than the actual number of cases,” Dr. Stubblefield said. “It does give us an idea of a trend and what we can tell is COVID is just more active right now.”

Locally, those hospitalizations are also increasing with Southeast Health now treating 38 COVID-19 patients. Flowers Hospital, that in early march was treating zero COVID patients in it’s hospital now is treating eight patients in its hospital.

Dr. Stubblefield adds, that to help combat the current surge in COVID-19, experts are discussing a potential new booster that could be out by the fall and offer better protection against omicron.

“What I would is that if people need a booster to go ahead and get it,” Dr. Stubblefield said. “Don’t wait till this comes out this could be October or November until we see these hit the market.”

He adds, that any Alabamians living in a county that is considered ”high risk” for the spread of COVID-19 should consider masking up and testing whenever feeling sick.

He says the earlier the virus is caught, the easier it is to manage since there are multiple treatments available.

“COVID activity is up, people are going to the hospital, people are dying. People are sick with COVID,” Dr. Stubblefield said. “It is still a serious disease, even though on average it is not as serious as the earlier strains, it is still serious.”

As the state continues to battle this current surge of COVID-19, medical experts want to remind Alabamians of the importance of knowing how to stay protected.