Science

Hurricane Sally Just the Latest Storm to Attack the Environmentally Fragile Alabama Coastline

The eye of Hurricane Sally crept onto land near Gulf Shores bringing heavy rains and a strong storm surge for hours on end. Both are threats to the fragile environment along the coast. The storm surge began eroding sand dunes even before the hurricane arrived, according to the Weather Channel, as well as swamping piers and low-lying areas. The hurricane was packing winds upward of 100 mph at its peak, and rain in some areas was estimated at 20 inches or more, according to the National Weather Service. BirminghamWatch about a year ago published several stories looking at the effects climate change and the more severe weather it’s causing are having along Alabama’s coastline.

Cloudy Future for Dauphin Island, a Canary in the Coal Mine of Climate Change

By Hank Black Along coastal Alabama lies Dauphin Island, a narrow, shifting strip of sand inhabited by a laid-back vacation town that is becoming more endangered with every passing storm and every incremental rise in the warming waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Dauphin is one of perhaps 2,200 barrier islands that make up 10% to 12% of the globe’s coastline. They help absorb the blows of nature and suffer greatly for it, either eroding dramatically from catastrophic hurricane forces or gradually, almost imperceptibly, from constant wave action. These sandy, offshore bodies are potent poster children for our planet’s warming, part of a natural, 100,000-year cycle that, according to most scientists, has greatly accelerated since the birth of the Industrial Age. Read more.

by Virginia Martin

COVID-19 Case Count Rises by 514 in Tuesday Update

The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 514 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tuesday's daily update. The number of confirmed cases of the disease since the pandemic began in March rose to 126,813. Another 13,347 cases were listed as probable, for an overall total of 140,160. The agency reported 32 deaths, raising the total to 2,253 confirmed as resulting from the coronavirus, plus 134 listed as probable to bring the total to 2,387. The update showed 10 additional deaths in Jefferson County, eight in Lawrence County and six in Chilton County. An ADPH spokesman said those figures included a number of deaths that had been under investigation over the past several days in each of those counties. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Average Continues to Fall with 504 New Cases of COVID-19 in Alabama

The state added 504 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and three deaths in Monday's daily update by the Alabama Department of Public Health. The agency's COVID dashboard showed a tota of 126,299 confirmed cases of the disease and 13,160 cases listed as probable. The death count rose to 2,221, with an additional 134 shown as probable. The moving 14-day average fell to 653, the lowest since a two-week daily average of 694 on June 28. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Six Months After First Diagnosis, Alabama Totals 125,795 Confirmed Cases, 2,218 Deaths From COVID-19

Six months to the day after the first COVID-19 diagnosis in Alabama, the state on Sunday reported 125,795 confirmed cases of the disease and 2,218 deaths from it. There were 972 new confirmed cases of the virus and one confirmed death in the Alabama Department of Public Health's daily update on Sunday.  The first case of the disease in Alabama was reported on March 13. It involved a Montgomery County resident that ADPH said at the time had traveled outside the state. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Saturday’s COVID-19 Totals: 726 New Cases, 13 Deaths

Alabama recorded 726 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 13 deaths from the disease in the state Department of Public Health's 24-hour update on Saturday. The state's total for the coronavirus since the pandemic began in March rose to 124,823 confirmed cases and 12,823 probable cases for an overall count of 137,646. There have been 2,217 confirmed deaths and 133 listed as probable for COVID-19 for a total of 2,350. The moving seven-day average for confirmed new cases stood at 642, while the two-week daily average was 681, the lowest since an averageof 694 on June 28.  Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Alabama’s Nursing Shortage Worsens During Pandemic

Since the coronavirus started spreading in March it has had a huge impact on Alabama nurses. “Their whole system, as the largest workforce in health care, was disrupted,” said John Ziegler, the executive director of the Alabama State Nurses Association. In response to COVID-19, hospitals stopped elective surgeries and shut down outpatient clinics, leaving some

by Mary Scott Hodgin, WBHM

28 Deaths, 830 New Cases of COVID-19 Reported on Friday

There were 28 deaths from COVID-19 and 830 new confirmed cases of the disease in Friday's daily report by the Alabama Department of Public Health. The state's totals since the pandemic begain in mid-March rose to 124,097 cases and 2,204 deaths that were confirmed to have been from COVID-19. The Health Department lists another 13,298 cases and 125 deaths as probable. The average daily number of confirmed new cases stands at 687 over the past seven days, which is down from the average of 795 one week ago. The 14-day average dropped from 759 on Sept. 4 to 741 on Friday.  The 28 new deaths was the highest number since 42 were reported on Aug 29. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

JeffCo Schools Moving Toward On-Campus Classes Starting Later this Month

Jefferson County Schools will begin accepting students back onto campuses in just more than a week. Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin announced on Facebook Thursday that the system would resume traditional learning starting Sept. 21. Grades will have staggered starts on the in-person learning. Students will go to class two days a week at first. Wednesdays will be set aside for remote learning for children and cleaning schools for staff. After two weeks, they will transition to five days a week on campus. Students who want to may continue with virtual learning. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Alabama’s COVID-19 Cases, Deaths Trending Downward, Though Data-Collection Concerns Remain

The official COVID-19 data reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health continues to show improvement in most categories, though some questions remain about whether state totals are sometimes incorrect because of reporting issues. In BirminghamWatch’s weekly analysis of data reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health, the 7-day moving average of new COVID-19 cases for the period ending Wednesday was 622.86 per day. That average has fallen by two-thirds since its high July 19, but in recent weeks it has spiked in both directions because of issues in reporting of positive cases by various testing organizations. The ADPH said last week that some counties had reported higher numbers than normal because they were adding cases backlogged from earlier weeks, and some labs that use the newer antigen tests had not been reporting. Read more.

by Robert Carter and Glenn Stephens, BirminghamWatch

Alabama’s COVID-19 Count Rises by 687 Cases, 15 Deaths

Alabama recorded 687 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths from the disease in Thursday's update from the state Department of Public Health. Those figures pushed the state's totals since the pandemic began in March to 123,267 confirmed cases, plus 12,298 probable cases for a total of 135,565 overall. The Health Department defines probable cases as those in which a patient has tested positive by antigen, has had close contact with a confirmed case, has symptoms meeting clinical criteria of COVID-19, and has no confirmatory laboratory testing performed for COVID-19.  There have been 2,176 deaths that were confirmed to be from the disease, plus 125 probable cases for a total of 2,301. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch