Nearly two weeks have passed since Labor Day weekend, and Alabama has yet to see a spike in coronavirus cases like those that have followed three-day weekends so far this summer. That doesn’t mean a spike won’t come, but it’s a good sign as what’s been a trying summer comes to a close.
Alabama’s new case counts have remained relatively flat since Labor Day, and a handful of counties have seen new cases decline significantly in the last week. Hospitalizations are also flat, if not down slightly, continuing a trend that’s lasted for the past several weeks. The state did see a slight uptick in virus deaths this week, however.
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 6,160 total coronavirus cases this week, including 4,721 confirmed and 1,439 probable cases. Both confirmed and probable cases were down slightly over last week, and the state’s total weekly case count was the lowest since June 26.
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As of Friday, Alabama’s 7-day average for total new coronavirus cases stood at 880, the 11th straight day its been under 1,000. Prior to this streak, the state saw just seven days with an average below four digits between July 3 and Aug. 16. The current streak started on Labor Day.
So far this summer, the state has seen distinct upticks in new cases following holiday weekends, and also after the state’s largest universities resumed on-campus classes in mid-August. So far, that hasn’t happened, but it’s not too late for a potential spike to appear. After Memorial Day weekend, it took just over two weeks to see a spike. But testing has changed dramatically since then, including an increased availability of rapid-response antigen tests.
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The state did see an uptick in deaths due to the coronavirus this week. ADPH reported 95 total deaths between Sept. 12 and Sept. 18, including 80 confirmed and 15 probable deaths. It’s an increase of 28 total deaths over the previous week. But other than last week, this week’s death total was the lowest since June 26.
Deaths are a trailing indicator, and this increase comes nearly three weeks after a sizable spike in new cases that came at the end of August.
[Can’t see the chart? Click here.]
Current hospitalizations in the state stood at 744 on Friday, according to ADPH. The number has stayed mostly flat over the past several days. Before this week, the number of people hospitalized hadn’t fallen below 800 since June 30.
UAB Hospital in Birmingham reported just 44 coronavirus inpatients on Friday, its lowest number since the beginning of May, after rising as high as 124 in August.
What’s the coronavirus situation in your county?
32 of Alabama’s 67 counties saw either a decrease or no change in new coronavirus cases this week, with a handful of counties experiencing significant decreases.
No county saw a larger decrease than Lee, home of Auburn University, which saw a large spike in cases after the university reopened in August. Lee added 197 cases this week, after adding 393 the week before. The week before that, it added 783. From last week to this week, Lee’s 7-day average was cut in half, dropping to 28 cases per day.
Etowah, Baldwin and Mobile counties each also saw double-digit decreases in the 7-day average for new cases. Etowah was a fast riser at this time last week, but has cooled off almost as quickly. Its 7-day average stands at 21 cases per day after adding 146 cases this week. Baldwin’s 7-day average is also 21, a 50 percent decrease from last week. It added 147 cases this week.
Jefferson County, the most populous county in the state and home to Birmingham, added the most cases in the state this week by far with 864. That’s a little less than twice as much as the next county - Tuscaloosa, which added 491 cases.
Tuscaloosa, Madison and Montgomery counties all added more cases this week than in the previous week. Houtson County, home of Dothan in southeast Alabama, saw the state’s only double-digit increase in 7-day average. The average there jumped by 17 daily cases and now stands at 38 cases per day. Houston added the fifth most cases in the state this week with 365.
Do you have an idea for a data story about Alabama? Email Ramsey Archibald at rarchibald@al.com, and follow him on Twitter @RamseyArchibald. Read more Alabama data stories here.
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September 19, 2020 at 07:00PM
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No spike in cases in Alabama so far since Labor Day: Week in review - AL.com
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