The number of new cases of COVID infections in Alabama took another big jump on Thursday, pushing the 7-day moving average past a noteworthy milestone.

In the Alabama Department of Public Health’s daily update of pandemic data, the number of overall infections since the pandemic began stands at 580,193, an increase of 2,730 cases for the day. The 7-day average now stands at 2,097.57 daily new cases, the first time that average has been above the 2,000 mark since Feb. 6.

The average has now increased by more than 17 times the recent low set July 6, almost double where the number stood a week before and up by 166 over Wednesday’s average.

The longer term 14-day average continues its rapid climb as well, now at 1,615.36 per day. The average has increased almost tenfold since July 6 and has doubled in just eight days. It was Feb. 9 that the long-term average was last at this level.

COVID-related deaths, though, are staying at a fairly steady rate. Six additional deaths were reported Thursday, increasing the overall pandemic death toll to 11,516. The 7-day moving average is at 6.86 deaths per day, unchanged from Wednesday and at nearly the same level it’s been for the last month and a half. The 14-day average is at 5.50, also steady for the past month.

Hospitalization numbers were not available Thursday, as ADPH was performing updates on the online COVID dashboard.