6 New Jersey counties have "high" COVID-19 community levels amid summer surge

NEW JERSEY -- Six counties in New Jersey are now in the "high" COVID-19 community level amid a summer surge. 

Residents in Morris, Monmouth, Burlington, Camden, Atlantic and Cape May counties are recommended to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. 

The designation is based on new hospital admissions and current level of new cases per 100,000 people. It comes as the BA.5 strain fuels the summer surge. 

The latest numbers show New York City's positivity rate is over 15 percent. The daily average of cases is more than 3,500. City health officials have urged New Yorkers to wear masks at all public indoor settings and outside around crowds. 

Dr. David Agus, a CBS News medical contributor, said a prior infection may not stop this strain. 

"If you had Omicron a couple of weeks ago, you can get re-infected now," Agus said. "Americans have moved on from COVID-19, and the problem is COVID-19 hasn't moved on from America." 

Health officials recommend high-quality masks, like N-95, K-N95 or KF-94.