The state’s largest county has moved into the high transmission category for COVID-19 per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Maricopa County joins eight other counties that now have high community transmission levels, which means masks are recommended indoors.
Dr. Nick Staab, a medical epidemiologist with Maricopa County’s Public Health Department said we haven’t seen these levels since early in the Delta surge.
Hospitals are also seeing an increase in hospitalizations, “We’re just not seeing the strain on our healthcare systems from COVID-19 that we saw in previous surges,” said Dr. Staab.
Along with the high community transmission, Dr. Staab said the health department is aware the transmission may be higher as some use the at-home COVID-19 tests.