The Jefferson County Health Department is using food inspectors to monitor restaurant and bars’ adherence to COVID-19 orders, and they can immediately close establishments that do not comply.

“We intend to check every place that serves food,” said Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson. “COVID-19 is not part of food regulations, but we can still take action if we deem a bar or food establishment is a threat to public health.”

The inspectors can issue an emergency closure order if they see a restaurant or bar violates either county or state emergency orders concerning COVID-19. “We intend to use it, if we need to,” Wilson said. First, though, they will try to work with establishment owners or managers to put together a plan to bring the restaurant or bar in compliance with county and state orders. Read more.

People of Alabama can slow the spread of COVID-19 if they will wear masks, socially distance and follow other medical advice over the coming days, the head of the Alabama Hospital Association said Tuesday.

Dr. Don Williamson, who previously served as the state health officer, said he is concerned about the way the coronavirus is being transmitted, and he is worried that it has the potential to put a strain on Alabama hospitals. Williamson was the guest of U.S. Sen. Doug Jones on a Facebook Live event Tuesday.

“This is one of those rare diseases where we control our future,” he said. “If we over the next 10 days to two weeks will put on masks, will avoid large group gatherings, will maintain six feet of social distance, will wash our hands and do all the things that we’ve talked about … we will make a meaningful difference in the transmission of this virus,” Williamson said. Read more.

Alabama recorded 40 deaths from COVID-19, the highest one-day increase since the pandemic began in March, according the state Department of Public Health’s daily report Tuesday.

Mobile County reported seven deaths from the disease, Jefferson County had four and Walker County listed three. The state’s death toll reached 1,136, plus 28 that are listed as probably from COVID-19 but as yet unconfirmed. Twenty-two of the 67 counties reported deaths during the 24-hour period covered by the report.

The report showed 1,673 new confirmed cases, raising the state’s overall total to 56,441, plus 777 cases listed as probably from the disease.
Read more.

The number of new cases of COVID-19 in Alabama grew for the third consecutive day Monday, with 1,860 confirmed cases to raise the state’s overall total to 54,768.

But the number of deaths reported on the Alabama Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Dashboard fell for the third day in a row. The department reported three deaths — down from 35 deaths on July 10, nine on July 11 and seven on July 12. 

Madison County, including Huntsville, had the highest number of new cases in Monday’s report with 267 to push its overall total to 2,535. Jefferson County listed 266 cases, raising its total to 7,012, the most in Alabama.
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Led by Jefferson County, the state posted 1,614 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, increasing the statewide growth rate for the third consecutive day.

Alabama’s four most populous counties again had the highest numbers of confirmed new cases as the total number since the pandemic began grew to 52,908, according to the state Department of Public Health’s daily update. There were 653 cases shown as probably from the disease but still under study.

There were seven deaths for the 24-hour period, including three in Chambers County, which has recorded 30 deaths from COVID-19 overall. Statewide, there have been 1,093 deaths, plus another 28 listed as probably from the illness but not confirmed.

The state has averaged 1,351 new cases a day over the past week and 1,282 daily for the past 14 days.
Read more.

Pastors, elders and the leadership team at Valleydale Church in north Shelby County closed to in-person worship in March because of the coronavirus but reopened June 7.

Then COVID-19 surged again in Alabama, surpassing by far the number of infections the state had seen earlier in the year, and that church, along with many others, had to close again a few weeks later.

Pastors, rabbis and other religious leaders across the state are watching data from the Alabama Department of Public Health, the CDC and other sources as they consider when it’s safe to reopen for their congregations. Read more.

There were 1,402 new cases of COVID-19 in Alabama over the past 24 hours, according to the state Department of Public Health’s daily report Saturday. That pushed the total number of cases to 51,294 since the pandemic began.

It was the fourth consecutive day with counts above 1,100, including a record 2,164 on Thursday. Alabama is now averaging 1,276 cases a day over the past week and 1,192 for the past 14 days.

The Health Department’s COVID-19 dashboard listed nine new deaths on Saturday, raising the overall total to 1,086.
Read more.

Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson wrestles with how the state’s most populous county can decrease the daily number of COVID-19 cases, which has been steadily rising for the past two weeks.

The county inked a record 343 cases from Wednesday, marking a high point in what has been an upward trend for the county. This past week, July 3-10, 10,659 people were tested in the county, with 1,417 of them testing positive for COVID-19. That’s an average of 202 new cases per day and a positive test rate of 13.3%, Wilson said. There also were 19 deaths during the week.

“The situation is horrible,” Wilson said. Read more.