Glenn Stephens

No Need to Worry About Drinking Water During the COVID-19 Crisis, ADEM Director Says

Public drinking water is safe, and one thing Alabama residents don’t need to worry about, as the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the state, the director of the Alabama Department of Environment said. “With so many things Alabamians have to worry about – their jobs, social distancing, the welfare of loved ones, gathering food and other necessities -- the safety of their drinking water shouldn’t be one of them,” ADEM Director Lance LeFleur said. “The water they get from their tap, whether it’s from a large municipal system or a small, rural utility, is 100 percent safe due to the proven safety requirements they are required to follow and that ADEM enforces. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Coronavirus Scams Peddling Fake Cures and Work-at-Home Schemes on the Rise

There’s been a sharp uptick in malicious online activity in Alabama and elsewhere in recent weeks. Scammers are increasingly using fake emails, social media posts, and text messages to steal passwords, money, and personal information from unsuspecting users. Gary Warner, head of research in computer forensics at UAB, says scams around COVID-19 have proliferated. Retailers are peddling all sorts of bogus remedies. Spam email subject lines say things like ‘Are you safe from Corona?’ and ‘Would you like to protect your family from Corona?’ Following these links can redirect users to download a program that infects a computer with malware to steal passwords. Warner says high anxiety around coronavirus has created the perfect panic moment for scammers. Read more.

by Gigi Douban, WBHM

UAB to Test Potential COVID-19 Vaccine

The University of Alabama at Birmingham and the biopharmaceutical company Altimmune Inc. will test a potential vaccine for COVID-19, the university announced today. Testing of the vaccine, AdCOVID, which was developed by the company based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, will begin in mice during the second quarter of this year. That phase of testing, designed to show the immune response to the drug in mice, is expected to take one to two months, UAB said in announcing the collaboration. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Falling Tax Revenue Looms for State, Counties, Cities

Late April will bring financial pain for state and local governments as businesses in Alabama begin submitting lower taxes because of the coronavirus. With most restaurants, hotels and retail businesses either shut down or seeing little customer traffic, government officials expect a sharp decrease April 20 when they receive March sales and lodging taxes. The notable exceptions are sales taxes from grocery stores and online merchants. The situation has become so dire that the Alabama Department of Revenue is offering relief to hotels that are unable to make timely payments on their February, March and April lodging taxes. The department will waive late fees through June 1. The state is giving similar help for sales taxes on a case-by-case basis for merchants whose sales are affected by the virus. Read more.

by Scott Morris

Three Deaths, 604 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Alabama

Three people have died of COVID-19 in Alabama, the Alabama Public Health Department reported today as the number of confirmed cases of the disease rose to 604 in 52 of the state’s 67 counties. All three of the deaths were in the Tennessee Valley in north Alabama — one each in Jackson, Lauderdale and Madison counties. The Birmingham area continued to be the hot spot, with 179 cases in Jefferson County and 67 in Shelby County, according to the Health Department. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

3 Deaths, 604 Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Alabama

Three people have died of COVID-19 in Alabama, the Alabama Public Health Department reported today as the number of confirmed cases of the disease rose to 604 in 52 of the state’s 67 counties. All three of the deaths were in the Tennessee Valley in north Alabama — one each in Jackson, Lauderdale and Madison counties. The Birmingham area continued to be the hot spot, with 179 cases in Jefferson County and 67 in Shelby County, according to the Health Department. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

As COVID-19 Cases Increase, Medical Staffing Shortages a Concern

As Dr. Don Williamson saw the coronavirus approach Alabama, he said he worried about three areas of potential shortages in the state. First was the number of hospital beds, ventilators and other equipment that would be needed. Second was personal protection equipment for medical professionals to shield them, and then others, from the virus. Third was the medical staff itself. “I have real concerns about COVID-19 on health care workers,” Williamson, the executive director of the Alabama Hospital Association and former state public health officer, said. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Number of Alabama COVID-19 Cases Rises to 466, Spread Across 48 Counties

There have been 466 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama, the state Department of Public Health reports today. The disease has been reported in 48 on Alabama's 67 counties, led by Jefferson County with 142 cases, Shelby Count with 50 and Lee County with 45. One death from the disease has been reported, that of a Jackson County resident. The person's name and other information about the case have not been disclosed, except for the fact that the patient was a part-time employee at the county courthouse in Scottsboro. a href=" https://birminghamwatch.org/number-alabama-covid-19-cases-rises-449-spread-across-45-counties/ "> Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

UAB Doctors Concerned Over Growing Number of Coronavirus Patients

As the number of patients being treated for coronavirus in the Birmingham area increases, UAB doctors say they are extremely concerned about the rapid growth of the pandemic. UAB Hospital reported 60 confirmed cases late Wednesday, with 30 patients on ventilators. There had been 18 on ventilators Wednesday morning. Grandview Hospital reported one coronavirus case early Wednesday, but the number rose to two by afternoon. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

Jackson County Reports Alabama’s First Coronavirus Death

UPDATED — An employee at the Jackson County Courthouse has died from the coronavirus, according to County Commission Chairman Tim Guffey, which could be Alabama’s first death from the COVID-19 pandemic. Guffey released a statement today, which said the employee worked in a department of the courthouse that did not require regular contact with the public. The courthouse will not reopen, however, until at least April 6, he added. “From the day that the part-time employee last worked, the expected incubation period has now expired,” Guffey said. “All county employees who work in the same department have been notified and none of them have reported any symptoms associated with the COVID-19 virus.” Read more.

by Scott Morris