New coronavirus cases leaped in Alabama in the week ending Sunday, rising 11% as 15,672 cases were reported. The previous week had 14,121 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Alabama ranked third 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 increased 10.8% from the week before, with 654,873 cases reported. With 1.47% of the country’s population, Alabama had 2.39% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, 16 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
Etowah County reported 227 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 278 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 31,176 cases and 660 deaths.
Cherokee County reported 68 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 87 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,805 cases and 87 deaths.
Marshall County reported 490 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 227 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 30,072 cases and 399 deaths.
DeKalb County reported 410 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 155 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 20,770 cases and 334 deaths.
Calhoun County reported 311 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 371 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 35,737 cases and 640 deaths.
St. Clair County reported 282 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 290 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 28,971 cases and 425 deaths.
Blount County reported 131 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 156 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 16,496 cases and 251 deaths.
Within Alabama, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Talladega County with 749 cases per 100,000 per week; Clay County with 725; and Randolph County with 621. 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 2,007 cases; Madison County, with 1,183 cases; and Mobile County, with 904. Weekly case counts rose in 33 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Talladega, Marshall and DeKalb counties.
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Across Alabama, cases fell in 32 counties, with the best declines in Mobile County, with 904 cases from 1,016 a week earlier; in Walker County, with 305 cases from 373; and in Calhoun County, with 311 cases from 371.
In Alabama, seven people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 15 people were reported dead.
A total of 1,479,605 people in Alabama have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 20,048 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 94,190,979 people have tested positive and 1,043,840 people have died.
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Alabama’s COVID-19 hospital admissions rising
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Aug. 28. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 1,232
- The week before that: 1,204
- Four weeks ago: 1,198
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 66,008
- The week before that: 66,216
- Four weeks ago: 72,118
Hospitals in 20 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 21 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 25 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.
