Monroe County has experienced a steep climb in COVID cases over the past two weeks with the emergence of the omicron sub-variant.

Public Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza says thankfully, this rise in new infections has not translated into an increase in hospitalizations or deaths. He says the new variant is not as serious as previous variants.

It’s not just spreading; Mendoza says flu cases have also increased significantly since mask mandates were lifted. With Easter just a week away, Mendoza recommends everyone do what’s best for their health and the health of their loved ones.

“I don’t think we need a mask mandate, I don’t think we should need a mask mandate,” he said. “I think the people who want to take precautions should feel welcome to do so and shouldn’t receive any backlash for taking steps to protect themselves. It’s as much your choice to wear a mask as it is to not wear a mask.”

In the past month, the average number of new COVID cases per day has gone from below 80 to 400, with 375 cases being reported Friday.