The state’s daily average number of new cases of COVID-19 has fallen to its lowest level in more than eight months, according to Tuesday’s update by the Alabama Department of Public Health.

ADPH reported 524 new cases of the disease. The state has averaged 583 cases a day over the past week, the lowest weekly average since a count of 597 on June 22. There have been 500,616 cases in Alabama since the pandemic began a year ago.

The daily update listed 38 deaths, for an overall total of 10,186.

There were 509 coronavirus patients in Alabama hospitals on Monday, representing a steady decline since the peak of 3,084 inpatients on Jan. 11.

Jefferson County has reported 72,170 cases since the pandemic began, including 78 in Tuesday’s report. There were four new deaths, pushing the county’s total to 1,407.