The New York state Department of Health is recommending indoor mask-wearing in Onondaga, Cayuga, Cortland, Madison and Oswego counties regardless of vaccination status, citing a high number of COVID-19 cases, Spectrum News 1 learned Friday.

Central New York in recent days has seen the number of COVID-19 cases outpace the rest of the state.

According to state data released Friday, Central New York’s COVID-19 cases over a seven-day period averaged 37.67 per 100,000. Statewide, that number is less than half that — 15.63.

Compared to other regions, the Capital Region’s average is 13.25, the Mohawk Valley is 20.34, the North Country is 17.53 and the Southern Tier is 22.43.

When at-home testing data is included, Central New York’s average is 47.73. Unlike other counties, Onondaga County has provided their daily at-home testing data.

The county earlier this week credited the higher rates to people traveling for winter break and the spread of the omicron subvariant, known as BA.2.

“If we know if just a few people traveled and came back, with how contagious it is, it would have spread quickly,” Onondaga County Deputy County Executive Ann Rooney said Tuesday.

“BA-2 is the dominant strain and certainly people with higher risk should utilize mitigation,” Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon tweeted on Friday.

Onondaga County reported 449 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. About a third of those came from at-home tests.

The county will hold a drive-thru distribution site for COVID-19 tests and KN95 masks at the State Fairgrounds' Orange Lot on Monday.