Amid Statewide Reopening, Jefferson County Keeps Entertainment Venues Closed
Entertainment venues across Alabama reopened Friday, but not in the state’s most populous county. Read more.
Science
Active COVID-19 Infections at Nichols Vet Home Down to 9
The coronavirus has hit the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City like a public health tsunami. Since April 8, 91 of its residents, more than half of its residential population, have tested positive for the virus, and 23 of them have died. But by Friday, following a second round of virus testing at the home, the number of Nichols residents who tested positive was down to nine. “This is a significant and promising downward trend,” a Friday news release from the state Department of Veterans Affairs stated. It also added that 12 of the 41 Nichols home employees who had earlier tested positive for the virus had recovered and returned to work. Read more.
Facing Life With Celebration, Caution After COVID-19 Recovery
It might sound strange to be thankful for two weeks of coughing, fatigue, headaches and shortness of breath. But 45-year-old Sherri Ross was because she knew having asthma put her at high risk for a much worse case of COVID-19 than she had. “I had a very mild case and I’m very thankful for that,” Ross said. Since she received test results that cleared her of the virus on April 21, Ross said she’s been finding ways, even in self-isolation, to celebrate. “I’m having a party now. I bought roller skates. I bought a karaoke mic … I’m having the best time ever,” she said. However, the fear of catching the coronavirus again or spreading it to someone else is real. Ross said she is armed with a mask and gloves wherever she goes, and she is careful to avoid being close to people. Read more. More Stories From the Pandemic
Birmingham Health Care Worker Who Caught Virus ‘Had a Feeling That Things Weren’t Normal’
Alabama Unemployment Rate Hit 12.9% in April
Alabama's unemployment rate hit 12.9% in April, the Department of Labor announced Friday. April's rate is the first full monthly measure that incorporates the true extent of the job losses occurring due to the coronavirus pandemic. March's unemployment rate was 3.0%. Read more.
362 More People Diagnosed With COVID-19 as New Openings Announced
On the day Gov. Kay Ivey announced further re-openings in Alabama, 362 more cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the state and seven people died of the disease. Shortly after midnight Friday morning, the Alabama Department of Public Health had the state’s case total since the pandemic began at 13,414 and total deaths at 529. Of those cases, the department’s COVID-19 dashboard reported that 7,951 were presumed recoveries. Thursday was the first day the health department began reporting that statistic. Read more.
Ivey Loosens Restrictions, Cites Balance Between Health, Economy
Gov. Kay Ivey has once again loosened restrictions on Alabama businesses, allowing the reopening of entertainment venues, child care facilities, student activities and educational institutions. Ivey’s “Amended Safer at Home” order, issued Thursday afternoon, will go into effect Friday at 5 p.m. At a press conference announcing the order, Ivey cited economic stressors, such as a spike in unemployment, as a reason for easing restrictions. She added: “You’ve got to have a balance between looking after the people’s health and the economic health. There has to be a balance.” Read more.
Alabama Hospitals Lost $739M in Revenue in March, April
Alabama hospitals lost about $739 million in revenue from mid-March to the end of April because of the coronavirus outbreak, according to data collected by the Alabama Hospital Association. The state's 93 acute care hospitals had $101 million in COVID-related expenses, including personal protection equipment, in the seven-week period. “Obviously, that’s not sustainable,” Alabama Hospital Association President and CEO Dr. Don Williamson told Alabama Daily News. He previously served as Alabama’s state health officer. Read more.
Alabama’s COVID-19 Numbers Still Gyrating; Latest Seven-Day Average of New Positive Cases Is Highest So Far
As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third month, the number of positive cases reported by the state and the number of deaths attributed to the virus have taken some erratic turns, especially in the past few days. One thing is presently clear, however: the data is not yet moving in the direction that state health officials would like, particularly as Gov. Kay Ivey’s moves to relax restrictions have been in place long enough to have a possible effect on the data. The seven-day moving average of new cases reported each day has set a new high since that average was first calculated by BirminghamWatch on March 19. In the past seven-day period, the number of new cases each day has grown markedly, with two of the highest daily increases falling in that time frame. Wednesday’s new-case numbers showed a big jump over 24 hours — 676 new positive results, which is more than 50% higher than the previous high of 424 new cases on April 11. Furthermore, the seven-day period began with an increase of 401 cases on Thursday, May 14, the third-highest daily increase. As of late Wednesday night, the figures posted by the Alabama Department of Public Health show that 13,052 people have tested positive and 522 deaths have been attributed to the virus. That’s an increase of 2,352 positive cases (up just less than 22%) from last week and 72 deaths (up 16%). Read more.
UAB Doctors Urge People to Continue Being Cautious as COVID-19 Cases Grow
As Alabama continues marching toward a fuller reopening, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state continues marching upward. But officials say it’s too early to determine whether the numbers are increasing because testing is increasing or more people are becoming infected. A day after State Health Officer Scott Harris described infection numbers as “not as good as we could hope for” – which was also the same day the state had its worst COVID report card yet, posting 615 new cases and 19 deaths in a 25-hour period – a UAB doctor said Wednesday that people still need to take precautions. “As we all know, Alabama has opened up and currently we are seeing an increase in our cases, particularly in hotspots such as Montgomery,” said epidemiologist Dr. Rachael Lee. “I believe Jefferson County had their highest number of cases yesterday that they’ve had this whole period of time and some of that may be reflective of testing. But it's hard to tell at this stage.” Read more.