COVID-19 related hospitalizations are up by 400% in Hidalgo County, according to Health Authority Dr. Ivan Melendez.

“We’ve had an explosion of hospitalizations, just as the rest of the world has, and the rest of the country," Melendez said.

In December, Melendez says fewer than 60 people were hospitalized with the virus in the county. During the first week of Jan., the number of those hospitalized with COVID-19 jumped to 93.

RELATED: Report: COVID-19 hospitalizations in Hidalgo County top 400

On Thursday, less than three weeks later, hospitalizations have topped 400 in Hidalgo County, and health officials say it’s not just the unvaccinated dying.

“The great, vast majority of the people in our community that are fully vaccinated that are dying are because they have so many other comorbidities,” Melendez said. “At least three other significant medical problems.”

Melendez expects hospitalizations to increase for the next couple of weeks before finally slowing down in early February. 

Watch the video above for the full story.