A statewide moment of silence will be held at noon Tuesday to remember the more than 12,000 people who have died from Covid in Alabama.

Alabamians are encouraged to think of those who died and their families, along with healthcare workers caring for Covid patients, according to observation planners from UAB and the Alabama Hospital Association.

“The delta variant is causing unprecedented devastation and grief in Alabama. We had hoped we would be in a better place this fall, but our hospitals are full, and families across the state continue to deal with tremendous loss,” said Dr. Donald Williamson, Hospital Association president.

“Our dedicated health care workers are under incredible physical and emotional strain, yet still are giving all they have to care for their patients,” Williamson added.

As of Thursday, 12,330 deaths from the coronavirus were reported in Alabama, including 39 added in the Alabama Department of Public Health’s daily update. The state has averaged 17 Covid deaths a day over the past week.

ADPH reported 5,312 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing total for the pandemic to 709,732. There’s been an average of 3,409 a day over the past seven days.

UAB reported a total of 216 coronavirus patients on Thursday, including 45 on ventilators. Among those on ventilators, 40 had not been vaccinated, officials said. Among the 66 patients in ICU recovering from Covid, 60 had not been vaccinated.