Boone County tallied nearly 160 new cases of coronavirus between Thursday and Saturday, the health department reported Monday. New coronavirus cases have increased locally and nationwide this summer, with experts sounding the alarm about the new BA.5 subvariant of omicron. The July 11 COVID-19 data update includes 48,177 positive cases recorded in Boone County since the beginning of the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified Boone County as having a high level of virus transmissions and recommends wearing masks indoors. Thirty-four people are being treated for coronavirus in Boone County hospitals, which have resumed normal operations after limiting some transfers and procedures last week.