After declining for two weeks, the average daily number of COVID-19 cases in Alabama has begun to increase this week.

The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 1,453 new cases of the disease in its report Tuesday, up from 857 on Sunday and 677 on Monday. The state has averaged 926 cases a day over the past week, still below the average of 1,117 a week ago and 2,550 a day for the week ended Feb. 1.

There have been 488,973 cases of the coronavirus and 9,660 deaths from it in the state since the pandemic began last March.

ADPH reported that 862 people were being treated in Alabama hospitals for COVID-19 on Monday, compared to 1,889 at the beginning of the month.