The Springfield-Greene County Health Department is reporting 71-percent increase in new cases of COVID-19.
Director Katie Towns said the latest numbers have revealed an average of 248 cases per day in the past week.
A month ago, the daily average was 99 cases.
Towns says this is the beginning of what will be the worst surge of cases yet.
Towns says every part of the community could be impacted, from health care systems to schools to workplaces.
Only 52 percent of Greene County residents have been fully vaccinated.
She says more people need to get the shots and the boosters.
