After reporting 48 new cases of COVID-19, Hidalgo County reported 401 new positive cases of the disease on Thursday.

Hidalgo County Health Authority Dr. Ivan Melendez said while there is no reason to be alarmed, he doesn't expect the numbers to go down anytime soon. 

"It's time to be concerned, certainly not time to panic.” Dr. Melendez said. “…These numbers are not going to go down. In fact, I expect them to go up as school opens. And so we really need to get a grasp of it."

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While the numbers haven’t been nearly as high in Cameron County, county health authority Dr. James Castillo says he's not surprised to see numbers go up again.

"So we got people out and about, it's summertime, no masks, no vaccinations, getting together, and now you have a more contagious virus circulating and we're seeing cases go up,” dr. Castillo said.

Dr. Melendez and Dr. Castillo both recommend that people wear masks even if they’re vaccinated – especially in a setting where there is a mixed group of people.

Dr. Melendez also says that although the hospitals are prepared for this rise in cases with several resources, he still recommends people to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.