MELBOURNE, Fla. — One Central Florida man says being hospitalized with COVID-19 was an isolating experience that, according to recent data, many more people in Central Florida are now experiencing. 

When we first met Joe Koren back in October, he was working on getting back in shape after being admitted to the hospital with COVID. Now, he says he’s pretty much got his strength back. 

“I feel like I’m back, I’m back to walking 2-plus miles a day,” Koren said. 

Koren says he wouldn’t wish his time in the hospital for COVID on anyone. 

“I was in isolation, so I couldn’t get up and walk the halls for some exercise. I couldn’t go down to the cafeteria or the gift shop or anything like that,” he said. 

Unfortunately, many people in Central Florida are experiencing it. 

According to the Florida Hospital Association, COVID hospitalizations are up 361% in the last 14 days, totaling more than 9,500 as of Monday. 

Which is surprising Koren says, when so many say omicron's symptoms are less severe than other variants.

“All you keep hearing now is, 'Oh it’s no more than a common cold,' but yet, the hospitalizations have shot back up,” he said. 

But, it’s not just adults who are going to the hospital for COVID, says pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Akinyemi Ajayi, who's had to make a lot of calls to the hospital recently. 

“We’ve definitely had to do more, see more, handle a lot more phone calls, talked to a lot more concerned parents, and prescribe more prescription medication than we've had to since when COVID started about two years ago,” Dr. Ajayi said.

Nemours Children’s hospital told us they’re seeing more pediatric patients admitted with COVID-19. 

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital also reported an increase this week as well. 

Koren says it’s sad we’re having to go through another surge in hospitalizations like this and hopes it’ll be a wake up call for more to be vaccinated. 

“The lesson has yet to be learned,” he said.