New coronavirus cases increased 5.7% in Alabama in the week ending Sunday as the state added 14,121 cases. The previous week had 13,354 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Alabama ranked fifth among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States decreased 11.2% from the week before, with 707,345 cases reported. With 1.47% of the country’s population, Alabama had 2% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, eight states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
Etowah County reported 278 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 198 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 30,949 cases and 660 deaths.
Cherokee County reported 87 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 69 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,737 cases and 87 deaths.
Marshall County reported 227 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 196 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 29,582 cases and 399 deaths.
DeKalb County reported 155 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 158 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 20,360 cases and 334 deaths.
Calhoun County reported 371 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 263 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 35,426 cases and 640 deaths.
St. Clair County reported 290 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 276 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 28,689 cases and 425 deaths.
Blount County reported 156 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 114 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 16,365 cases and 251 deaths.
Within Alabama, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Walker County with 587 cases per 100,000 per week; Colbert County with 539; and Pike County with 510. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.
Adding the most new cases overall were Jefferson County, with 1,834 cases; Madison County, with 1,190 cases; and Mobile County, with 1,016. Weekly case counts rose in 38 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Morgan, Walker and Calhoun counties.
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Across Alabama, cases fell in 28 counties, with the best declines in Jefferson County, with 1,834 cases from 2,030 a week earlier; in Montgomery County, with 533 cases from 608; and in Escambia County, with 77 cases from 137.
In Alabama, 15 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 52 people were reported dead.
A total of 1,463,933 people in Alabama have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 20,041 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 93,641,944 people have tested positive and 1,041,149 people have died.
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Alabama’s COVID-19 hospital admissions rising
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Aug. 21. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 1,452
- The week before that: 1,256
- Four weeks ago: 1,286
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 68,647
- The week before that: 69,679
- Four weeks ago: 73,529
Hospitals in 14 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 19 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 20 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.
