Chautauqua County averaged more than 124 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 last week, continuing what has been a recent surge of people testing positive for the virus.

In addition, five new virus-related deaths have been reported from Nov. 28 through Dec. 4 in information posted Wednesday by the county Health Department.

The hospitalization rate, those in local hospitals and are COVID-positive, remains high at 51.

The number of active cases also jumped — from 648 the week ending Nov. 27 to 741 last week, as well as those in quarantine — from 995 the week ending Nov. 27 to 1,298 last week.

To date there have been 16,470 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, 15,496 total recoveries and 233 virus-related deaths.