(NEW YORK) — As the U.S. enters cold and flu season, the threat of COVID-19 has increased, say heath officials. Bacteria and viruses thrive in less humid conditions and, so with cooling temperatures and with more people heading indoors for the approaching winter — doctors are not heartened by the rising COVID-19 numbers.

Cases have jumped in at least 32 states — including areas in New York.  The White House coronavirus task force on Monday identified 22 states for being in the “red zone” for COVID-19 cases, up from 18 last week.

Kansas experienced a record rise in daily positive cases while Missouri and North Dakota saw a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

In New York, which enjoyed a positivity rate of around one percent, has seen several counties’ numbers rise in recent days and has sparked talks of cancelling in-person learning.  New York City, which was once the epicenter of the outbreak, reported that its positivity rate jumped to three percent — its highest in months.

The U.S. reported over 33,000 new COVID-19 positive cases on Monday, with an additional 316 fatalities.  While the numbers are below the peaks reported in the summer, the Federal Emergency Management Agency says that new cases are increasing significantly.  As for deaths, the numbers are decreasing slightly.

There has been a rapid rise of COVID-19 cases found in children, with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association reporting that 10 percent of all COVID-19 cases are children.

Doctor Sally Goza, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said that while children typically don’t become as ill as adults, they are ” not immune and there is much to learn about how easily they can transmit it to others.”

COVID-19 as infected over 7.1 million Americans and killed nearly 206,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.