New coronavirus cases leaped in Alabama in the week ending Sunday, rising 13.8% as 16,649 cases were reported. The previous week had 14,633 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Alabama ranked sixth 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 29% from the week before, with 947,862 cases reported. With 1.47% of the country’s population, Alabama had 1.76% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, 42 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 258 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 231 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 29,812 cases and 654 deaths.
Cherokee County reported 58 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 56 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,382 cases and 87 deaths.
Marshall County reported 204 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 183 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 28,484 cases and 396 deaths.
DeKalb County reported 158 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 140 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 19,451 cases and 331 deaths.
Calhoun County reported 318 cases and four deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 290 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 33,921 cases and 638 deaths.
St. Clair County reported 323 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 282 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 27,179 cases and 418 deaths.
Within Alabama, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Dallas County with 602 cases per 100,000 per week; Wilcox County with 588; and Macon County with 565. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 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 2,397 cases; Mobile County, with 1,428 cases; and Madison County, with 1,135. Weekly case counts rose in 51 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Mobile, Tuscaloosa and Madison counties.
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Across Alabama, cases fell in 15 counties, with the best declines in Montgomery County, with 1,112 cases from 1,219 a week earlier; in Baldwin County, with 735 cases from 760; and in Escambia County, with 111 cases from 135.
In Alabama, 36 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 1,390,333 people in Alabama have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 19,822 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 89,542,107 people have tested positive and 1,023,799 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 17. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 1,308
- The week before that: 1,149
- Four weeks ago: 812
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 73,328
- The week before that: 67,692
- Four weeks ago: 57,602
Hospitals in 36 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 27 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 40 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.
