Science

Number of COVID-19 Patients in Alabama Hospitals Falls to Less Than Half Its Peak

The number of people hospitalized in Alabama for COVID-19 has dropped to less than half the peak figure of more than a month ago, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported Wednesday. There were 778 people in hospitals across the state for treatment of confirmed cases of the disease on Tuesday, down from a high of 1,613 on Aug. 6. A total of 15,237 people have been hospitalized because of the coronavirus throughout the pandemic. The agency's daily COVID-19 update also showed 701 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths from the disease on Wednesday. Those figures brought the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began in March to 122,580, plus 2,161 deaths. Another 11,837 cases and 124 deaths were listed as probably being from COVID-19. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

405 New Cases, One Death Listed on Tuesday’s COVID-19 Report

Alabama reported 405 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, and the state Department of Public Health listed one death in its daily update. The agency showed a total of 121,879 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, along with 11,727 cases listed as probable. The state's death toll stood at 2,153, plus 124 deaths listed as probably from the disease. There were 858 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Alabama on Monday, the Health Department's Dashboard showed. The number of coronavirus patients in the hospitals peaked at 1,613 on Aug. 6, and dropped to as low as 829 on Saturday, Sept. 5. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

State Reports 659 New Cases, No Deaths from COVID-19

There were 659 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and no additional deaths from the disease in Monday's daily update by the Alabama Department of Public Health. That brought the state's total for the period of the pandemic to 121,474 confirmed cases, and the total confirmed deaths remained 2,152. Another 11,499 cases and 124 deaths were listed as probably from the coronavirus. Jeffferson County was the only county with a triple-digit increase, with 113 cases to push its total to 16,703. Mobile County reported 17 cases, remaining second overall with 12,289 confirmed cases. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Daily Average Number of COVID-19 Cases in Alabama Continues to Fall

Alabama's rolling seven-day average for new COVID-19 cases fell Sunday to its lowest number in two and a half months. The state recorded 488 confirmed new cases of the disease in Sunday's daily update by the Alabama Department of Public Health. That brought the state's total to 120,815 since the pandemic began in mid-March. The daily average over the past week dropped to 623, the lowest since a count of 592 on June 23.  There was one new death in the Sunday report, raising the state total to 2,152. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

1,038 New Cases of COVID-19 Reported in Alabama in Saturday Update

Alabama recorded 1,038 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 in Saturday's update by the state Department of Public Health. The daily total was the highest this week, although the numbers often are subject to revision. It brought the number of confirmed cases of the disease in Alabama to 120,327, plus 11,626 cases listed as probably from the coronavirus. The Health Department's COVID-19 Dashboard showed seven deaths for the most recent 24-hour period. The overall total since the pandemic began in March now stands at 2,151, with another 124 deaths listed as probable. a href=" https://birminghamwatch.org/1038-new-cases-covid-19-reported-alabama-saturday-update/ "> Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Remembering an Alabamian Driven to Figure Out How Things Worked

WBHM To understand how much Fred Bischoff loved to figure out how things worked, consider when he had surgery for a pacemaker at age 35. “He asked if he could be awake while they put the pacemaker in and they let him,” his daughter Lisa Higginbotham said. “[It] was absolutely crazy.” Bischoff was born in Birmingham and later settled in Montgomery where he and his wife raised three children. He died in June from COVID-19, one of more than 2,200 Alabamians who have died during the pandemic. He was 79. He came from a long line of mechanically-minded men in his family and his curiosity started early. As a kid he wanted to figure out how the wringer of a washing machine worked. But in doing so, his right arm was pulled in and his mother had to rescue him. He had scar for the rest of his life. Read more.

by Andrew Yeager, WBHM

COVID-19 Case Count Rises by 688, With 24 Deaths

There were 688 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 24 deaths from the disease in Friday's daily count, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported. The figures brought to number of confirmed cases in the state to 119,289 and the number of deaths to 2,144 since the pandemic began in March. Another 11,104 cases and 122 deaths are listed as probably from the coronavirus. There was confusion surrounding the department's update Friday. The COVID-19 Dashboard initially showed an increase of 11,792 confirmed cases and 137 confirmed deaths for the day. The totals were updated later in the morning, without an immediate explanation, to indicate 688 new cases and 24 deaths.  Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

UAB Doctor Questions Wisdom of Releasing a Vaccine Without Full Trials

UAB's director of infectious diseases Thursday questioned the safety of a COVID vaccine that might be released in October or early November. Dr. Jeanne Marazzo said she would want to assess the data used in development of the vaccine. She joins other scientists from across the country who have questioned whether the vaccine would be safe and effective after it had undergone such speedy clinical trials. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

COVID-19 Disrupting High School Football, With Games Being Canceled, Forfeited

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting high school football in Alabama, as numerous teams were forced to forfeit games last weekend, and more than a dozen games have been canceled this weekend. The Alabama High School Athletic Association had 29 games result in forfeits during the second weekend of the 2020 season. By rule, a forfeit results in a 1-0 loss for the forfeiting team. Thirteen games scheduled for this weekend have been canceled so far. Read more.

by Robert Carter

Health Department Reports 381 Cases of COVID-19 in Thursday Report

The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 381 new cases of COVID-19 in Thursday's daily update. That brought the total number of cases since the pandemic began in March to 118,601, plus 10,684 classified as probably from the disease. The agency listed six deaths to raise the state's total to 2,120, with an additional 113 listed as probably from the coronavirus. The 381 count would be well below the average of 829 cases a day over the past week if the number remains unchanged. ADPH, however, has substantially revised the daily figures listed on its COVID Dashboard on several occasions lately, citing either technical issues or issues in the timing of the reporting. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch