The rates of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Alabama have fallen to levels the state has not experienced since the late spring of 2020.
Alabama was averaging 375 new cases per day over the last week as of Sunday, according to BamaTracker, a site that collects government data on the virus. The last time the state was under the 400 case-per-day threshold was June 9, 2020.
Hospitals in Alabama had 413 COVID-19 patients on Monday down 20% from 516 one week ago. The state has not had less than 500 coronavirus patients since June 6, 2020.
The positive signs come nearly simultaneously to the state’s unfortunate surpassing of the grim 10,000 deaths milestone.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Alabama Department of Health uploaded two large backlogs of positive COVID-19 tests recently — one on March 3, and another on Monday, March 15. In both cases, the preponderance of the tests was from last year.
This makes many recent week-to-week comparisons impossible and means the most accurate seven-day average of case data is what was reported from March 10 thru March 14. Sunday, March 14 is the day the state was averaging 375 new cases per day.
The state’s average of new cases per day has fallen 88% from its peak of 3,080 per day on January 10.
Notably, over the last few months, the number of total tests reported each day in Alabama has decreased by 41% from its peak on January 18.
New cases are those confirmed by a chemical test performed in a laboratory setting. When including “probable” cases, those indicated by rapid tests and other methods of detection, the seven-day average rises to 551.
Past data trends have shown around 10% of coronavirus cases end up needing treatment in the hospital.
Alabama’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have fallen 87% from the peak of 3,084 on January 11.
Even as the virus plummets in its total number of new cases, it remains widespread, as 62 of Alabama’s 67 counties reported a new case on Monday.
The state’s death toll from the virus is currently estimated to be 10,329, with 8,120 of those confirmed by health officials and another 2,209 currently listed with COVID-19 as the “probable” cause. Very few “probable” coronavirus deaths have not later been confirmed to be virus-caused.
The decline in cases and hospitalizations come as vaccinations have increased. Alabama had its most productive vaccination week yet on the week ending on Saturday, and has now given at least one dose of a vaccine product to 765,724 citizens as of Monday afternoon.
In terms of total population, Alabama has at least begun the vaccination process for roughly 16% of its citizens.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
