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.
Tuscaloosa County reported 561 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 511 cases and four deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 63,196 cases and 804 deaths.
Pickens County reported 71 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 51 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,723 cases and 106 deaths.
Fayette County reported 42 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 77 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,343 cases and 97 deaths.
Hale County reported 28 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 33 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,251 cases and 109 deaths.
Greene County reported nine cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 14 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 2,079 cases and 51 deaths.
Bibb County reported 96 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 74 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 7,166 cases and 105 deaths.
Lamar County reported 52 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 49 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 4,201 cases and 66 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.
