Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in Coconino County.
But while health officials expect the trend to continue, it's well below the highs seen during the pandemic.
County Health officials say a late summer surge of COVID has become typical since the pandemic.
Joel Bunis is with Coconino County Health and Human Services.
“It's kind of expected seasonally when the kids go back to school the monsoon starts, people go back indoors, but it's not going to be a burden on the healthcare system. We are not seeing an increase in hospitalizations, that's notable," Bunis says.
Even though cases in the county have risen by 94% since June, Bunis says it’s a far cry from previous spikes.
Over the last five years, officials have reported more than 600 local cases on average in August.
This year, that number is just 165 so far this month.
Bunis says their recommendations to avoid the virus haven't changed.
That includes washing your hands regularly, getting vaccinated, staying home and wearing a mask if you're sick.
