With Thanksgiving only two days away, there is reason for worry locally when it comes to the COVID-19 virus.

According to the most recent numbers available through New York state, 391 COVID patients are filling the beds of the hospitals in Western New York as of Friday. Only New York City has a higher rate. There, 415 patients are reported in beds with the virus.

Even locally, though area hospital officials will not reveal the high numbers, there are indicators of another major spike right before the holidays. At Brooks-TLC Hospital System in Dunkirk last last week, workers reported to the OBSERVER that beds were filled to capacity. “Beds fill as soon as they become empty,” one Facebook post noted. “Staff is burned out.”

According to the state dashboard, the hospital capacity in Western New York is the highest it has been since Feb. 1 when 396 patients were in beds.

In terms of new patients, Friday COVID admissions of 78 were the highest since Dec. 31 when the number was 87.

Just last week, county Public Health Director Christine Schuyler admitted her increasing concerns. “Sadly, our cases continue to increase. It’s not just here,” she said. “It seems to be in most areas, especially across Western New York.”

Chautauqua County in its weekly dashboard update on Wednesday, reported 23 hospitalizations from Nov. 7 to 13.

Those numbers, especially in the north county, appear to be on the rise.

Western New York’s positivity rate remained the highest of all regions over the weekend at 9.48%. Second highest was the Finger Lakes at 8.59%. New York City — where 8 million reside — had the lowest positivity rate at 1.57%.

Neighboring Erie County is well aware of the growing cases. On Monday afternoon, County Executive Mark Poloncarz mandated that starting at 6 a.m. today masks must be worn in all public indoor facilities.

Poloncarz also said if the mask mandate doesn’t work by mid-December, the county will require vaccine mandates for indoor dining.

Erie County, home to the city of Buffalo, recorded 456 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days, more than quadruple the federal government’s threshold for high transmission, according to Poloncarz.

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel said officials will be taking necessary information into account regarding masking.

“We’re going to continue to look at the information as it affects Chautauqua County and make our determination as we go,” he said. “Erie County is much larger, a much different demographic and a much different situation than we have here in Chautauqua County. So, like everything else, we will bring it to the team, we will discuss it, we will look at the science and we will make a decision on where we go.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.