coronavirus

COVID-19 Stretching ICU Capacity of Alabama Hospitals

With the number of people being hospitalized with COVID-19 steadily rising, only 12% of the intensive care beds in Alabama hospitals are available for patients sick with the coronavirus and other illnesses, the head of UAB’s Infectious Disease Division said Thursday. "At UAB we are seeing more sick people and seeing more people dying,” said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo. “Right now, our COVID-care units are at full capacity, but we can absorb more people, and we will. The next couple of weeks are critical because we have not yet seen a decline in the rate of new cases.” Alabama is averaging more than 1,500 new cases of COVID-19 daily, and the state’s positivity rate among those tested for the virus was 19.25% as of Wednesday. The World Health Organization states that positivity rates for COVID should remain at 5% or below for at least 14 days for the situation to be considered under control. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

State Reports 1,783 New Cases of COVID-19 and 15 Deaths

There were 1,783 new cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths from the disease in Alabama over the most recent 24-hour period, according to the state Department of Public Health's daily report on Friday. That raised the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Alabama to 85,278 and the number of deaths to 1,531 since the pandemic began in mid-March. In addition, the COVID-Dashboard listed an additional 2,445 cases and 49 deaths as probably from COVID-19 but still under study. The state is averaging 1,654 new cases and 19 deaths a day over the past week, and 1,654 cases and 21 deaths daily for the past 14 days. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Tuberville Ignores DC’s Order to Self-Quarantine

Tommy Tuberville, in Washington this week as he campaigns for Alabama’s U.S. Senate election, ignored the city’s orders for people visiting from states with COVID-19 outbreaks to quarantine, The Washington Post reported. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Signs of Hope: Alabama’s COVID-19 Data Starting to Steady

There are some optimistic observations in Alabama’s COVID-19 new-case rate, though it’s a bit early to know whether it is a full-blown trend. Figures through Wednesday show that, after peaking early in the week, the 7-day and 14-day moving averages have declined, and the daily percentage rate of increase in new cases has dipped below 2% for three of the past four days. The 7-day average percentage increase is now just above that mark, after peaking above 3% almost two weeks ago. In Birmingham Watch’s weekly analysis of data reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health, the 7-day moving average of new cases for the period ending July 29 stands at 1,594.14 per day, down by 147 cases from a week prior and by almost 257 from the peak set on July 19. The longer-term 14-day moving average is at 1,667.64, down from a high of last Saturday of 1,787.14. Read more.

by Robert Carter

Gov. Ivey Requires Face Masks in Schools, Extends Statewide Ordinance

WBHM — For teachers and students preparing to enter the classroom next month, masks will now be required for anyone in second grade and above. Governor Kay Ivey issued the new mandate Wednesday as an amendment to the statewide mask ordinance and Safer at Home order. The orders, originally set to expire Friday, have been extended through Aug. 31. Read more.

by Mary Scott Hodgin, WBHM

1,263 New Cases, 43 Deaths from COVID-19 Reported Wednesday

Alabama reported 1,263 new cases of COVID-19 and 43 deaths from the disease in Wednesday's daily update by the state Department of Public Health. The agency said an additional 2,075 individuals are believed to have the disease and another 45 are thought to have died of novel coronavirus. Those cases are under study. The figures for the latest 24-hour period brought the total number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began in March to 81,572, along with 1,489 deaths. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

DC Joins States Ordering Travelers From Alabama to Quarantine.

Washington, D.C., has joined the states banning Alabamians from visiting unless they quarantine themselves for two weeks. The mayor’s office released a list of 27 states that are under the new policy. Alabama is one of the states seeing a rapid increase in the rate of new COVID-19 cases. The district’s list of high-risk states

by BirminghamWatch

Health Officer Recommends Virtual Classes for Middle and High Schools, No Contact Sports for Now

The Jefferson County health officer is recommending that boards of education in the county "strongly consider" setting up virtual learning for middle and high school students this coming school year and cancelling or postponing contact sports. "With the current level of viral spread and disease in the community, there is a considerable chance" that the virus will occur among students and school staff, Dr. Mark Wilson said in a letter to school officials. "If classes are not stringently isolated from one another, whole schools may end up having to close." Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

COVID-19 Total Passes 80,000 in Alabama

There were 1,180 new COVID-19 cases in Alabama Tuesday, pushing the state's total to 80,309 since the pandemic began in March. The count was down from the 1,778 cases reported on Monday by the Alabama Department of Public Health. It also was below the averages of 1,605 per day over the past week and 1,705 daily over the last 14 days. The number of deaths during the pandemic remained at 1,446. Another 2,057 cases and 45 deaths were listed as probably from COIVD-19 but still under investigation. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

State’s COVID-19 Count Rises by 1,778 Cases and 18 Deaths in Monday Tally

The number of COVID-19 cases in Alabama grew by 1,778 and there were 18 more deaths, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported in its daily update Monday. There have been 79,129 confirmed cases of the disease and 1,446 deaths from it since the pandemic began in March. A total of 655,973 individuals have been tested statewide, and 12% of those have shown positive. Of that number, 1.8% have died. Alabama is averaging 1,631 new cases and 27 deaths a day for the past week and 1,740 cases and 25 deaths daily during the last 14 days. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch