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The number of coronavirus cases is surging across North Alabama.

Health officials say it's because of two main reasons:

1. Less than half of Alabama is fully vaccinated.
2. The Delta variant is incredibly more contagious than the coronavirus we've seen before.

“A delta variant infected person will have 1,000 times more virus in their nose, compared to somebody infected with Covid with the original strain of covid last May, or you know, April or March of 2020," said Dr. David Kimberlin, a Pediatric Infectious Disease Expert.

Dr. Kimberlin said we're on the brink of a catastrophe because of the Delta variant.

“This delta strain I promise you guys, this Delta strain is different and it is bad," he said. "We are standing in a tunnel right now and the train is accelerating as we speak."

All living things change and evolve over time, including viruses. 

Less than half of Alabama is fully vaccinated, which health experts say enabled the coronavirus to change and get stronger over time. 

The Delta variant has evolved to spread easier to people and can infect more people in a shorter amount of time.

"If someone’s not been vaccinated, they’re getting hit with a sledgehammer of Delta virus, and it’s creating a lot of problems, hence the rapid increase in cases," said Dr. Kimberlin.

Dr. Kimberlin said we have all the necessary tools to stop the spread of the virus. They include getting vaccinated and wearing a mask. He said we're at a far worse place right now, than we were this time last year.