Alabama reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, adding 3,589 new cases. That’s down 15.2% from the previous week’s tally of 4,231 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Alabama ranked 34th 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 7.7% from the week before, with 298,674 cases reported. With 1.47% of the country’s population, Alabama had 1.2% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, 13 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
Etowah County reported 191 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 107 cases and no deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 32,116 cases and 678 deaths.
Cherokee County reported nine cases and no deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 17 cases and no deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 6,017 cases and 87 deaths.
Marshall County reported 57 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 39 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 30,969 cases and 403 deaths.
DeKalb County reported 35 cases and no deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 42 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 21,217 cases and 341 deaths.
Calhoun County reported 119 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 719 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 38,330 cases and 658 deaths.
St. Clair County reported 54 cases and no deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 84 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 30,132 cases and 434 deaths.
Blount County reported 130 cases and no deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 37 cases and no deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 17,042 cases and 258 deaths.
Across Alabama, cases fell in 42 counties, with the best declines in Calhoun County, with 119 cases from 719 a week earlier; in Madison County, with 208 cases from 364; and in Winston County, with 16 cases from 144.
>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases
Within Alabama, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Henry County with 337 cases per 100,000 per week; Shelby County with 316; and Geneva County with 232. 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 Shelby County, with 689 cases; Jefferson County, with 372 cases; and Madison County, with 208. Weekly case counts rose in 25 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Shelby, Blount and Etowah counties.
In Alabama, 51 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 27 people were reported dead.
A total of 1,525,724 people in Alabama have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 20,473 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 96,699,237 people have tested positive and 1,062,564 people have died.
>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States
Alabama’s COVID-19 hospital admissions rising
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Oct. 9. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 736
- The week before that: 697
- Four weeks ago: 991
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 50,835
- The week before that: 49,835
- Four weeks ago: 58,231
Hospitals in 18 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 15 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 29 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.
