Coronavirus

Growth of COVID-19 Cases in Alabama Slows Monday

After four days of dramatic increases, the growth in the number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama slowed on Monday, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported. There were 657 new cases of the disease during the 24-hour period that ended at 10 a.m. Monday, the agency reported. That brought the state's total to 25,892 since the pandemic began in mid-March. Another 380 cases were believed to have been from COVID-19 but have not been confirmed. The report listed one new death from the virus, raising the overall total to 769, plus five that are believed to have been from the disease but have not been confirmed. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Health Officials Urge Public to Redouble Social Distancing Efforts as Cases in Alabama Shoot Up

State health officials are pressing the message that Alabamians need to protect themselves as COVID-19 cases in the state continue their sharp increase. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

Another Record: Alabama Tops 1,000 New COVID Cases in One Day

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama rose sharply again Sunday, with state health officials reporting 1,014 new patients. The death toll for the disease remained at 768. The Alabama Department of Public has now confirmed 25,235 cases of the disease since the pandemic began in March. Another 380 people are believed to have COVID-19, but their cases are still being investigated. The statewide death toll for the disease was unchanged, according to the Health Department’s report for the period of 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday. Five other deaths are believed to have been from COVID-19, but have not been confirmed. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Spread of COVID-19 in Alabama Continues Saturday at a Record Pace

The spread of COVID-19 cases in Alabama continued to accelerate Saturday, with state health officials reporting a third day of record numbers. In its daily update, the Alabama Department of Public Health said there were 888 new confirmed cases of the disease across the state, bringing the total to 24,221 since the pandemic began. The department had reported 859 new cases on Friday and 848 on Thursday, both records at the time. The new report, covering the period of 10 a.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, included four new deaths, bringing the statewide overall total to 768. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Third Prison Inmate Died With COVID-19

A third Alabama prison inmate has died after testing positive for the coronavirus, the Department of Corrections announced today. All three inmates to have died after testing positive for the coronavirus have been at the St. Clair Correctional Facility. Read more.

by Tom Gordon

COVID-19 Hospitalizations Hit All-Time High This Week

As of Friday, there have been four days this week when the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 went over 600, marking the highest period for hospitalizations since the pandemic began in March. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

Jones Says Systemic Racism is Part of a Crisis Trifecta the Country Faces

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said today that the nation is in the midst of a “crisis trifecta” from the pandemic, the economic crisis and the battle for equal rights and treatment, and black Americans are disproportionately affected by each of those. Jones spoke during a Facebook live video conference with Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. “The events of the past few weeks have laid bare the fact that structural and systemic inequality exist in almost every layer of society in the United States of America,” Jones said. “We are in what I have called a crisis trifecta — from the coronavirus pandemic, to the economic crisis and the moral awakening of so many people in this country to the fact that there are so many of our brothers and sisters who are still being denied equal opportunities, equal rights and equal dignities.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Another Record Day for COVID-19 Cases in Alabama

For the second consecutive day, Alabama recorded its biggest increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday. The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 859 new cases of the disease from 10 a.m. Thursday until 10 a.m. Friday, bringing the total number of cases confirmed in the state since the pandemic began to 23,333. There were 377 probable, but as yet unconfirmed, cases. The highest previous daily increase was 848 on Thursday. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Number of COVID-19 Cases in Alabama Leaps by 848

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Alabama jumped by 848 Thursday to 22,474, the state Department of Public Health reported in its daily update. Besides the confirmed cases, the agency listed 371 probable cases of the disease, meaning those affected are believed by health officials to have the disease but confirmation is pending. The figures are for the period from 10 a.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday. The case count was almost double the average increase of 439 a day for the seven-day period through Wednesday. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

More Than a Third of Alabama’s COVID-19 Cases Have Been Diagnosed in the Past Two Weeks

The number of new positive COVID-19 cases in Alabama continues to rise at a pace that concerns some health officials. Read more.

by Robert Carter