(WHNT) — The highest well being official in Alabama says COVID-19 is “shifting in the best course once more.”

State Well being Officer Dr. Scott Harris stated in his month-to-month message that the variety of COVID-19 hospitalizations and circumstances have declined whereas information concerning the virus and its vaccine have grown. Nonetheless, Harris did say the virus was unpredictable and one other seasonal surge might occur.

“All viruses mutate, and new variants proceed to be recognized, such because the extremely infectious BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron variant,” Harris acknowledged. “As COVID-19 restrictions around the globe are ending, there’s a risk one other seasonal surge will happen.”

Harris stated the stable crimson high-risk map of Alabama counties that has been seen over the previous few months is beginning to turn into multicolored, reflecting low, reasonable, and substantial dangers as an alternative.

As of Saturday night, solely three Alabama counties had been nonetheless labeled within the high-risk class, together with Colbert, Coosa, and Lawrence counties. To see the complete threat map of Alabama counties, go to the Alabama Division of Public Well being’s COVID-19 Dashboard.

Regardless of progress on circumstances and hospitalizations statewide, Harris famous his disappointment in Alabama being the least vaccinated state within the nation.

“It’s disappointing that Alabama stays the state with the bottom proportion of individuals totally vaccinated for COVID-19, and unhappy that greater than 18,000 Alabamians have now died as a consequence of COVID-19,” Harris continued. “These sobering details underscore the necessity for folks to be cautious and shield the weak in our state by judiciously masking indoors round folks whose vaccination standing is unknown and defending the immunocompromised.”

Harris stated he’s inspired that there are extra instruments and analysis to mitigate the virus.

“Bear in mind to guard these at excessive threat by conserving updated in your vaccinations and following preventive measures to cut back COVID-19 illness,” Harris concluded.

As of Saturday, March 5, Alabama had recorded 1,282,945 circumstances of COVID-19 because the pandemic began in March 2020. 359,411 of these circumstances had been recorded in 2022 alone. The present positivity price of COVID-19 checks statewide is 5.1%, down from a peak of 45.1% in early Februrary. 18,480 Alabamians have died on account of the virus.