Coronavirus

Alabama’s COVID-19 Numbers Surging to New Records Daily, Hospitals Taking Steps to Make Room for More Patients

Like much of the rest of the nation, Alabama day after day is seeing record-setting COVID-19 numbers, as new cases associated with the Thanksgiving period begin to make their way through the health care system.

In BirminghamWatch’s weekly analysis of the trends in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths, virtually every measure reached new highs every day of the past week. The 7-day moving average of daily new cases stood at 3,337 on Wednesday, and the 14-day average was 2,919.21. Both averages are more than double their levels of a month ago.

The number of new cases per capita continues to reach high levels in northeast Alabama, with Jackson County having 1,092 total cases over the past 14 days, according to data from the Alabama Department of Public Health. That works out to a rate of 2,110.7 cases per 100,000 residents, by far the highest per-capita number of any Alabama county.

Jefferson County’s rate exceeded 1,000 for the first time since per-capita numbers have been computed, with 1,013.5 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks.

The number of hospital beds occupied statewide by COVID patients set new highs on six out of the past seven days, reaching an all-time peak of 2,111 on Wednesday.

UAB COVID Patient Load Projected to Double in a Week

In Birmingham, UAB Hospital had 149 COVID-19 inpatients, and Chief of Hospital Medicine Dr. Kiersten Kennedy said during a press conference Wednesday, “We are exhausted and it’s only the beginning.”

Kennedy called the increase in hospitalizations “terrifying” and said public health experts predict the hospital’s COVID patient load will double by next week.

In response, UAB is expanding capacity in intensive care units, reducing elective procedures and recruiting more staff to keep up with increasing demand.

As of Monday, Huntsville Hospital Health System facilities over several North Alabama counties had 415 in patients, with 198 of those in Madison County proper. The system has implemented changes and restrictions at facilities in Huntsville, Guntersville and Boaz to make room for more COVID beds.

DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa reported 134 inpatients who are positive as of Tuesday.

Kennedy said if something does not change soon, hospitals across Alabama could become overwhelmed and unable to care for patients.

“I don’t think any of us has lived during a time where we’ve had to worry that if we got really sick, that if you came to a hospital, people would not be able to rush you back and take care of you immediately,” she said, “And what we’re saying is that we are reaching that point.”

Kennedy said UAB is starting to see patients who contracted COVID while traveling or gathering for the Thanksgiving holiday. She urges people to avoid gathering for Christmas and New Year’s.

Death Rates Keep Rising

The death toll also continues to rise at faster rates, with the statewide 7-day moving average climbing above 40 deaths per day in the past week before dropping slightly on Wednesday. The average now stands at 39.14 new deaths per day, after peaking at 44.86 on Monday. Monday’s rate was nearly triple that of a week before. The 14-day moving average stands at 32.36 deaths per day as of Wednesday, another all-time high.

Positivity rates also jumped yet again, as the number of total COVID tests that returned positive results over the past two weeks increased to a new high of 34.32%. Seven counties recorded rates of 50% or more, led by Fayette County’s 59.5%. A 50% rate means that half of all tests administered were positive for COVID.

The increases in almost all measures of the pandemic prompted Gov. Kay Ivey to announce Wednesday that she is extending her “Safer at Home” order until Jan. 22. There are no changes in the restrictions; face masks still are required in public when within six feet of other people from outside one’s household. All restrictions on restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and such remain as they were.

BirminghamWatch uses data provided to the public by ADPH, which is reported daily on its online dashboard.

WBHM’s Mary Scott Hodgin contributed to this report.