Science

Alabama Averaging 4,100 New COVID Cases a Day as Deaths Spike

Workers on the front lines of Alabama’s battle with the COVID-19 virus lined up in the past few days for vaccines as the number of patients they are trying to help continues to increase sharply. In BirminghamWatch’s weekly analysis of pandemic data, the number of daily new cases has reached new highs yet again, with the 7-day moving average topping the 4,000 mark for the first time. Both moving averages set all-time records Wednesday, with the 7-day average standing at 4,132.71, an 80% hike since Dec. 1. The 14-day average is at 3,817.57, up 66.7% since the beginning of the month. For the first time since the pandemic began in March, the number of daily new deaths reached triple digits. The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 135 additional deaths Wednesday, and the 7-day moving average was 55.57 per day — an 82.6% increase in just one week. The 14-day average also reached a new high of 43.0, up 23.6% for the week. Read more.

by Robert Carter

COVID-19 Deaths Rise by 135 in Alabama

Alabama added 135 deaths from COVID-19, along with 4,758 new cases of the disease, in Wednesday's daily update by the state Department of Public Health. That raised the number of deaths since the pandemic began in March to 4,587. There have been 334,569 cases of the coronavirus. The deaths represented the highest single-day addition so far. While ADPH's daily updates account for new cases of COVID-19 for the most recent 24-hour period, deaths are reported to the agency on a more delayed basis and can be spread over several days. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens

Birmingham Revenue Appears Stable, Council Extends Funding for Rickwood, McWane and Ruffner

Birmingham’s finances appear to be holding steady despite COVID-19’s impact on city revenues, finance director Lester Smith told city councilors Tuesday afternoon — though he warned that a clear picture of the city’s financial health won’t be visible until March. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Almost 5,000 New Cases of COVID-19 in Alabama Reported Tuesday

The Alabama Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported 4,979 new cases of COVID-19 and 63 deaths from the disease in its 24-hour update. The state has totaled 329,811 cases of the coronavirus and 4,452 deaths since the pandemic began in March. Tuesday's update increased the average number of new cases per day for the past week to 4,040, the highest weekly average so far. The seven-day average was 3,553 one week earlier and 2,291 on Dec. 1. The state averaged 38 deaths a day over the past week, up from 16 per day for the week that ended Dec. 1. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Moderna Vaccine for COVID-19 Has Arrived in Alabama

The second of the two vaccines federally approved for prevention of COVID-19 is now in the hands of health care professionals in Alabama, with more on the way. The Alabama Department of Public Health announced that the vaccine manufactured by biotech company Moderna arrived in some hospitals in the state on Monday, with others scheduled to get deliveries in the following couple of days. The vaccine was approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration on Friday, and shipments began immediately. Alabama will get 84,300 doses in the first batch. The Moderna product is the second to ship to American hospitals, after shipments of the Pfizer vaccine began last week. Unlike the Pfizer product, which must be stored and transported at temperatures around –70 degrees Celsius (–94 degrees Fahrenheit) in special equipment, the Moderna vaccine requires storage at –20 degrees Celsius (–4 Fahrenheit). Read more.

by Robert Carter

These companies took $1.8 billion in federal aid to save jobs. They laid off 90,000 workers anyway.

This article was originally published by the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit investigative news organization based in Washington, D.C. Rosa Rodriguez spent eight years ironing and hanging bathrobes for guests at the Mirage, the Bellagio and other five-star hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. But as COVID-19 spread through the United States and kept tourists away, there were fewer and fewer robes for her to press. In March, Rodriguez and about 800 of her co-workers were laid off from Brady Linen Services, a laundry service provider for hotels in Las Vegas, Mexico and the Bahamas. Rodriguez said her boss told her he would call her back when more work was available. Brady Linen was approved for a loan of $4.6 million from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, according to data from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The government-backed loans were supposed to help small businesses that struggled during the pandemic pay employees’ salaries and benefits for up to six months, among other things. But Brady Linen did not use the money to rehire Rodriguez and all the other laid-off workers, which the program requires if companies want their loans forgiven. It is just one among hundreds of companies that reported layoffs right before, or soon after, receiving a government loan through the Paycheck Protection Program, according to an analysis by Public Integrity. Read more.

by Center for Public Integrity

Saturday Report Adds 4,221 New COVID-19 Cases, 93 Deaths in Alabama

Alabama added 4,221 new cases of COVID-19 and 93 deaths from the disease in Saturday's daily update by the state Department of Public Health. There have been 319,904 cases and 4,389 deaths from the coronavirus since the pandemic began in March. The number of people hospitalized for the disease rached a record 2,447 on Friday, ADPH reported. The previous high was 2,425 the previous day. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

A Visit With Santa? It’s Still Happening Despite The Pandemic

Liz Paredes may be a full-grown adult, but she practically squealed when seeing Santa Claus earlier this month. It was a welcome moment of joy during the coronavirus pandemic she could share with her 12-year-old daughter who has autism. “I’m really glad that we were able to do that because I want to keep that spirit alive for her and because of the pandemic we just haven’t ventured out,” Paredes said. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the setting for that visit was unlike any other year. Santa stood among inflatable Christmas trees in the parking lot of a Walmart in Pelham. Kids sat on a bench a few feet in front of him while parents snapped pictures. Paredes happened to spot the event while shopping. Read more.

by Andrew Yeager, WBHM

COVID-19 Spread in Alabama Continues at Record Levels

Alabama continued its record-setting climb in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Friday's update by the state Department of Public Health. The agency reported an increase of 5,348 cases in its daily update, 382 of those came from late reports for Dec. 10 to Dec. 12. That left a total of 4,966 new cases during the latest 24-hour period, up from the previous record of 4,695 in Thursday's report. Jefferson County accounted for 956 of the cases, bringing its total to 44,274 cases since the pandemic began. Counties of the state's four largest cities together reported more than one-third of the cases, with Madison County (Huntsville) listing 500 cases; Mobile County, 249; and Montgomery County, 212. A total of 29,912 people have been hospitalized for the coronavirus in the state throughtout the pandemic, and a record 2,425 were in hospitals on Thursday. UAB also reported a record, with 175 COVID-19 patients on Thursday. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Coronavirus Deaths Mount in Alabama Prisons

Coronavirus cases continue to surge in Alabama prisons, with corrections officials announcing a number of inmate deaths in recent weeks. Between Aug. 27 and Dec. 16, the Alabama Department of Corrections reported 29 inmates had died while positive for COVID 19, bringing the total number of inmate deaths associated with the virus to 50. Read about them.

by Nick Patterson