New coronavirus cases leaped in Alabama in the week ending Sunday, rising 14.5% as 14,633 cases were reported. The previous week had 12,783 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 4.6% from the week before, with 750,600 cases reported. With 1.47% of the country’s population, Alabama had 1.95% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, 24 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
The Fourth of July holiday disrupted who got tested, when people got tested and when both test results and deaths were reported. This may significantly skew week-to-week comparisons.
Etowah County reported 231 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 171 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 29,554 cases and 653 deaths.
Cherokee County reported 56 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 44 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,324 cases and 86 deaths.
Marshall County reported 183 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 199 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 28,280 cases and 395 deaths.
DeKalb County reported 140 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 131 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 19,293 cases and 331 deaths.
Calhoun County reported 290 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 273 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 33,603 cases and 634 deaths.
St. Clair County reported 282 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 295 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 26,856 cases and 418 deaths.
Within Alabama, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Wilcox County with 588 cases per 100,000 per week; Bullock County with 545; and Montgomery County with 538. 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 2,284 cases; Montgomery County, with 1,219 cases; and Mobile County, with 1,053. Weekly case counts rose in 42 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Montgomery, Jefferson and Shelby counties.
>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases
Across Alabama, cases fell in 23 counties, with the best declines in Tuscaloosa County, with 420 cases from 519 a week earlier; in Colbert County, with 190 cases from 233; and in Russell County, with 121 cases from 162.
In Alabama, 27 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 30 people were reported dead.
A total of 1,373,684 people in Alabama have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 19,786 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 88,593,875 people have tested positive and 1,020,861 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, July 10. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 1,256
- The week before that: 1,070
- Four weeks ago: 695
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 69,400
- The week before that: 63,341
- Four weeks ago: 57,327
Hospitals in 39 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 35 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 42 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.
