The COVID-19 positivity rate is climbing across Long Island.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone says with more than 1,000 new cases, the county's positivity rate just hit 9.1%. In Nassau, County Executive Laura Curran says nearly 1,000 residents tested positive Monday, placing Nassau's COVID-19 positivity rate at 7.3%.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says nearly 7,600 people are being hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state.

Dr. Nick Fitterman, of Northwell Health, says the jump in the COVID-19 positivity rate started around the holidays. He says the people getting admitted to the hospital now probably contracted the virus before Christmas.

"So, we're still gonna see a bump probably a week, week and a half from now from all the small gatherings from Christmas," says Dr. Fitterman. "And if the public at large is not careful around New Year's, we're gonna see a surge on top of that surge."

The Nassau and Suffolk executives are urging people to be celebrate safely for New Year's Eve and avoid small indoor gatherings, which officials say is the largest spreader of COVID-19.

Dr. Fitterman adds that, although the vaccine is here, widespread distribution is months away. He says residents still need to wear masks and social distance in order to stop the spread.