With its COVID-19 case rate continuing to rise, Lexington County is recommended to mask against the virus for a third-straight week.

According to the metrics released with this week’s Community Level from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the county’s case rate in the seven days leading up to Jan. 5 was 307.62 per 100,000 people. The rate went from 88.37 to 202.18 to 202.51 to 250.04 to 283.51 in the previous five weeks.

The case rate is one of two metrics that has triggered a high level for the county for a third week in a row. High levels bring universal recommendations from the CDC and the state Department of Health and Environmental Control to mask in indoor public spaces.

The county also continued to go up in the other two metrics that go into determining Community Levels.

Lexington continues to be above the threshold for a high level when it comes to the number of new COVID hospital admissions per 100,000 people, with 20 reported this week, up from 15 the week before and 10.4 two weeks ago.

The percentage of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID patients is up to 8% this week, up from 4.8% the week before and 3.4% two weeks ago.

COVID levels continue to rise across the state, with nearly all counties having a medium or high Community Level this week. 22 of the state’s 46 counties have a high level, while 22 have a medium level.

Among Lexington’s neighbors, two counties (Richland and Newberry) have a high level, three (Saluda, Calhoun and Orangeburg) have a medium level, and one (Aiken) has a low level.