HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — The increases in these COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have local county leaders keeping a close eye on the COVID-19 transmission rate.

Currently, every county in the Wiregrass is considered ‘high risk’ for the spread of the coronavirus, meaning the counties have a COVID-19 transmission rate higher than 10%.

Geneva County has a 32% community positivity rate, which is the highest in the Wiregrass. As of Monday, the state’s COVID positivity rate was 29%.

Houston County Chairman, Mark Culver said these levels of COVID are why county leaders want the community to be aware and cautious.

“We are monitoring the levels of COVID, obviously Houston County and most of the state are in the red zone,” Culver said. “We are concerned about the uptick of cases”

Culver tells WDHN that even though there isn’t a mask mandate in county buildings, he encourages people to keep washing their hands and do whatever is needed to keep themselves safe.