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As the number of positive COVID-19 cases continue to rise across North Alabama, so does the concern for some of the hospitals in the area.

Huntsville Hospital's only had about 15 Covid patients for the last week, but Vice President of Operations Tracy Doughty said they're worried the numbers are only going to rise because of the Delta variant and the fact that less than 33% of people in Alabama are fully vaccinated. 

“That’s concerning to us. We’re keeping an eye on what’s going on across the state and definitely in North Alabama," said Doughty.

Huntsville Hospital was full of coronavirus patients in the summer of 2020. They're still full of patients a year later, but now they're mostly seeing patients from surgeries.

Doughty said Madison County being in the very high-risk category for the virus is worrisome.

“We’re concerned because we’re very busy now," he said. "Things have kind of gone back to normal, people getting surgeries, things they’ve put off, so the hospital is already very full already, so we don’t want a huge outbreak in our community and our hospital be suffering in the process.�

The age of most of their COVID patients in 2021 compared to 2020 is another change for Huntsville Hospital.

“Now we are seeing younger people who come in and are unvaccinated, they’re sick," said Doughty. "So, that is holding true, not only here but around the country.�

He said this proves that young people can still get seriously sick from the virus, and urges everyone to get the vaccine if they're eligible. Especially with the more dangerous and contagious Delta variant.

“The virus affects everybody differently, everybody genetic makeup differently, and I wouldn’t take the chance by not having the vaccine," said Doughty.

Doughty told Â鶹Çø that the Delta variant is definitely in our community, and encourages people to get vaccinated so the hospitals can continue their normal operations.