Science

Alabama’s COVID-19 Death Toll Tops the 1,000 Mark

Alabama recorded a drop in the number of new COVID-19 cases for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, the state Department of Public Health reported. But there were 23 deaths reported in the report for the past 24 hours, pushing the death toll since the pandemic began to 1,007. The 24-hour total was the most deaths reported since there were 25 on June 24. The had been one death reported on Saturday, and none on Sunday and Monday. The new figures pushed the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 t0o 45,263 since the pandemic began in March. Another 503 cases ad 23 deaths were listed as probably from the disease but not confirmed. The state had reported 1,091 cases on Sunday and 925 on Monday. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Number of New Cases of COVID-19 Down Slightly in Alabama; No New Deaths

Alabama recorded 925 new cases of COVID-19 but no new deaths in Monday's daily report by the state Department of Public Health. The 24-hour increase was down from the count of 1,091 on Sunday and 997 on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases since the pandemic began in March at 44,375, plus 503 listed as probably from the disease but not confirmed. The total number of deaths remained at 984 for the second consecutive day. Another 23 deaths are listed as probably from COVID-19 Jefferson County, which leads the state in number of cases and deaths, was the only county to report a triple-digit increase in the 24-hour report on Monday. The county had 189 new cases raising its total to 5410. Its death count remained at 152. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Number of Cases Increases Again but No New Deaths from COVID-19 in Alabama

Alabama recorded 1,091 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the health officials reported no new deaths for the latest 24-hour period. The number of cases since the pandemic began in March rose to 43,450, but the death toll remained 984, according to the daily report on the Alabama Department of Public Health's COVID dashboard. The agency said another 503 cases and 23 deaths were listed as probably resulting from the disease but not yet confirmed. The state averaged 1,212 new cases a day for the past week and 989 a day for the past 14 days. The averages on Wednesday had been 979 cases per day over seven days and 823 daily over 14 days. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Number of New COVID-19 Cases in Alabama Drops on Saturday

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alabama grew by 997 on Saturday, down significantly from the previous day but still  the fifth-highest 24-hour total of the pandemic. After reporting a record 1,758 new cases on Friday, the Alabama Department of Public Health's covid dashboard showed a big drop on Saturday. The overall total since the pandemic began stood at 42,359, plus 503 cases listed as probably resulting from the disease but not yet confirmed. The dashboard listed one new death, in Bullock County, to bring the overall total to 984, plus 23 probable ones. That was down from 22 deaths in Friday's report. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Alabama Records Its Biggest Rise in COVID-19 Cases with 1,758 Jump

Led by the Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile areas, Alabama experienced its worst day yet in the spread of COVID-19, the state Department of Public Health reported Friday. The agency's COVID dashboard showed 1,758 new confirmed cases of the disease in its 24-hour report. That brought the total to 41,362 since the pandemic began in March. Another 507 cases were listed as probably from the virus, but not yet confirmed. The number of deaths rose by 22 for a total of 983, plus 24 that are probably from the disease but still under study. The daily figures reflected a dramatic increase in the growth of COVID-19. Statistics this week showed an average daily increase of 974 cases for the seven-day period thorugh Wednesday and an average increase of 823 a day for the 14-day period. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

This Fourth of July Will Be Different – Except for the Heat

It’s the Fourth of July and you just ate a red pepper to cool down from the heat. Well, maybe there are better ways to cool down, but without a doubt it’s going to be hot on the Fourth. This year’s holiday will differ from previous years, with less of the usual trappings of parades, fireworks displays, concerts and picnics because of the pandemic, but as usual, you can count on scorching heat. Read more.

by Hank Black

COVID-19 Cases Soar by 1,162 in Alabama During 24-hour Period

Alabama recorded one of its biggest increases yet in cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, with 1,162 confirmed new cases raising the state's total to 39,604. There were 14 deaths listed on the Alabama Department of Public Health's daily dashboard, pushing the total to 961 since the pandemic began in mid-March. The agency said another 507 cases and 24 deaths probably are from the disease, but are still under review. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

COVID-19 New-Case Numbers Show Sharp Uptrends; Jefferson County Leads State Total Cases List

The numbers of new cases of COVID-19 infections are rising sharply across Alabama — and in Jefferson County in particular. The BirminghamWatch weekly analysis of data reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health shows that the 7-day moving average of new cases reported daily is increasing at an alarming rate. As of Wednesday’s update by ADPH, the average has increased by 44% since the previous week and 64% over eight days. The current 7-day average stood at 974 new daily cases on Wednesday. The longer-term 14-day moving average reached a record high, at 823.43 cases per day. That’s a 20% hike from June 23 but nearly double the 440 average on June 1 and more than four times the reading on May 1, of 194.43. Read more.

by Robert Carter

‘I Can’t Breathe’: Connecting the Green and Black Movements

In the few weeks since the death of George Floyd, environmental advocacy groups have been checking their mission statements and action plans for any hints of racial insensitivity and to examine how best to support movements such as Black Lives Matter and unite against injustice in environment and race. The phrase “I can’t breathe” is the link that joins the environment and the racial justice movements. That was George Floyd’s and Eric Garner’s plea and also the cry of people of color whose health problems are associated with air pollution and other toxicities that disproportionally surround their lives. Garner, after all, lived in a neighborhood that received an F grade from the American Lung Association’s 2018 State of the Air report.  In the wake of Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis, several nonprofit environmental organizations were quick to issue strong statements opposing police brutality and promise a period of self-reflection and rededication to principles of diversity and racial equity. Read more.

by Hank Black

COVID-19 Toll in Alabama Accelerates in Wednesday Report

The COVID-19 toll in Alabama continued to accelerate Wednesday, growing by 906 confirmed cases and 21 deaths, the state Department of Public Health's 24-hour update showed. There had been 854 new cases on Tuesday. Jefferson County, the state's most populous, continued to lead the way with 177 new cases, bringing its total to 4,387, and two deaths for a total of 142 since the state began counting COVID-19 results on March 13. Statewide, there have been 38,442 confirmed cases, plus 509 listed as probably from the disease but not yet confirmed. The death toll stands at 947, with another 24 probably from the virus. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch