Science

COVID-19 Case Count Rises by 86, But Numbers Are Skewed by Timing of Reports

The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 86 new cases of COVID-19 in the state Wednesday, but the agency said the number was artifically low because of the timing of its posting of the numbers. The report brought the state's total number of confirmed cases to 118,220. The state had reported 982 new confirmed cases on Tuesday, but ADPH said in an email that some of the cases that normally would have gone into Wednesday's update were included in the previous day's listing. The agency also said a total of 10,019 cases are listed as probably being from COVID-19. It said on Twitter that, in accordance with case definitions of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, the department is now listing persons with positive antigen tests as probable cases of COVID-19. "Thus, the Alabama Department of Public Health expects to see more probable cases with increasing use of another laboratory method to detect SARS-CoV-2," the Tweet explained. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Hoover, Shelby Schools Planning Moves to 5-Day-a-Week Classes

In-person learning at Hoover City and Shelby County schools will go to 5-day-a-week formats later this month. In each case, the move is a continuation of plans that had been in place for the year. Shelby County told parents Monday that the change to five days a week would go into effect Sept. 14, and Hoover schools make the change Sept. 21, provided the COVID-19 numbers remain favorable. Any students going to school virtually will continue to do so. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

PSC Allows Alabama Power to Raise Fee Charged to Solar Power Users

UPDATED — The Alabama Public Service Commission this morning unanimously voted to allow Alabama Power to increase the monthly fee it charges customers who have solar or other alternative power sources. On recommendation of the PSC staff, commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh joined commissioners Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker in approving without discussion the increase from $5.00 to $5.41 per kilowatt-hour. That would raise the cost to customers with a typical five kilowatt system from about $25 to $27.05 per month. The vote came over the objections of representatives from environmental groups, who contended that the fees were punitive and intended to discourage the use of renewable-energy power sources such as solar panels. Read more.

by Robert Carter

Alabama’s Daily COVID-19 Count Rises to 982 in Tuesday’s Report

Alabama added 982 new cases of COVID-19, as well as 19 deaths, in Tuesday's report by the state Department of Public Health. There have been 118,134 confirmed cases of the disease and 2,102 deaths from it since the pandemic began in March. An additional 9,482 cases and 98 deaths are listed as probably associated with the coronavirus. The report covering the latest 24-hour period showed an increase of 286 new cases from Monday's total of 696. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

696 Cases of COVID-19 Reported in Monday Update

There were 696 new cases of COVID-19 in Alabama and 16 deaths from the disease, the state Department of Public Health reported in its daily update on Monday. That brought the statewide totals since the pandemic began in March to 117,152 confirmed cases and 2,083 deaths. In addition, the Health Department listed 8,906 cases and 99 deaths as probably associated with the coronavirus. Only Lee and Jefferson counties showed more than 100 new cases in the 24-hour report issued at 10 a.m. Monday. Jefferson County listed 141 cases, bringing its total to 15,872. Lee County, home of Auburn University, reported 101 cases for a total of 3,348. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

No Buses, No Dress Code, But It’s Still School

Classes start in some of the area’s largest school systems this week and next, but the experience of the students is going to be very different from last fall. Jefferson County schools start Tuesday, Bessemer schools follow on Thursday and Birmingham schools start up Sept. 8. All three are offering virtual only learning for the first nine weeks in an attempt to block the spread of the coronavirus, as are many other schools. As Jefferson County school officials describe it, the school day will begin with students logging into class, which lets teachers take roll call by seeing who is logged on. A teacher can go online with his or her entire class in a Zoom-type setting called Webex, which allows video conferencing, online meetings and screen sharing. This synchronous learning allows students to interact with teachers and each other. At other times classes are divided, giving the teachers time to work interactively with five to eight students while other students work on assignments such as reading or testing. So, while students might not have to show up at class, it still is a full day’s work. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

Sunday Report Shows 1,172 New Cases of COVID-19 in Alabama

The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 1,172 new cases of COVID-19 and eight additional deaths in its daily update Sunday. That brought the state's totals to 116,456 confirmed cases and 2,067 deaths from the disease. The agency said an additional 8,779 cases and 95 deaths are listed as probably from the coronavirus. Among the state's 67 counties, the daily COVID-19 Dashboard list 143 new cases from Shelby County and 140 from Jefferson County. Those were the only counties with triple-digit increases for the latest 24-hour reporting period. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Inmate Deaths: Even Behind Bars, Coronavirus Takes a Deadly Toll

In Alabama, 19 of the state’s more than 2,000 deaths from the coronavirus have been among inmates incarcerated in state prisons. The inmates who have died with a positive diagnosis of COVID-19 have mostly been over 60, with one under 40. Most of the deceased inmates had preexisting conditions, and some already had terminal diagnoses. Several of the prisoners who died were serving life sentences. “All inmate or staff deaths reported as COVID-19-related by the ADOC occurred following a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. COVID-19 therefore was either a direct or indirect cause of death, or a medical condition associated with death,” said Alabama Department of Corrections communication specialist Samantha Rose. “Our goal is to transparently track and share the disease’s evolving impact on our system, including all deaths conclusively or likely related to COVID-19.” Read about Alabama inmates who have died after being diagnosed with the coronavirus. Read more.

by Nick Patterson

Alabama COVID-19 Case Total Rises by 1,561, With 42 More Deaths

The Alabama Department of Public Health reported a big increase in the number of casses of COVID-19 and deaths from the disease on Saturday, but the agency issued a statement saying the figures included a backlog of cases from the past few weeks. The daily dashboard showed 1,561 confirmed new cases and 42 deaths, bringing the totals to 115,284 cases and 2,059 deaths since the pandemic began in mid-March. In addition 8,462 casees and 90 deaths were listed as probably from the coronavirus. But the department said in a statement that it began using a new laboratory and when that happens "we sometimes will receive a backlog of results, both positive and negative." Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

COVID-19 Cases, Deaths in Alabama Jump to Two-Week Highs

The daily numbers of new cases of COVID-19 and deaths from the disease in Alabama jumped Saturday to their highest levels in more than two weeks, the state Department of Pubic Health reported. There were 1,561 confirmed new cases of the coronavirus and 42 deaths in the latest 24-hour period, according to the agency's COVID Dashboard. That was the highest number of cases in a single day since 1,655 cases were reported on Aug. 10 and the greatest number of deaths since 48 on Aug. 11. The number of cases had been below 1,000 on six of the previous seven days. The state has counted 115,284 confirmed cases, plus 8,462 listed as probable, since the pandemic began in mid-March. The death toll is 2,059, along with 90 listed as probably associated with the disease. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch