August 22, 2020 - Trouble In The Wiregrass
Trouble In The Wiregrass
August 22, 2020
Yesterday, I said I lacked confidence in the day’s data. It turns out my doubts were well-founded. Just before midnight, the day’s cases were revised upward from 321 to 1,183 and tests came in at 7,015. There were also 22 deaths. As a result, the weekly positivity rate climbed from 7.33% to 9.39%. As the morning dawned, there were 13 states that trailed Alabama in terms of positivity rate, the worst of which was Mississippi at 28.75%.
In short, yesterday clearly was a step backward.
The data posted today is a little bit better … but not much. There were 900 cases (none listed as probables), 21 deaths (incl. 6 probables), and 12,488 tests. The 7-day average positivity rate declined to 8.85% but remains above the 7% level we witnessed from Tuesday through Thursday. Over the last week, cases have averaged just under 1,000 per day (993 to be exact) and tests have averaged 11,217 per day, down from 13,330 per day a few days ago. After dropping to a low of 743 per day on August 17, the 7-day average of cases has now climbed for 5 days in a row.
No hospitalization data is reported on weekends. There were also 21 deaths (incl. 6 probables).
In the Wiregrass region of southeastern Alabama, the counties of Houston (county seat: Dothan), Dale (county seat: Ozark), Coffee (county seat: Elba) and Geneva (county seat: Geneva) all shattered their individual records for both cases and tests. Houston, which was averaging 14 cases per day, posted 129. Dale, which was averaging 5-6 cases per day, posted 52. Coffee, which was averaging 9 cases per day, posted 38. And Geneva, which was averaging less than 5 cases per day, also posted 38. Despite these record-setting case totals, all four counties saw their positivity rates decline because the daily tests also increased dramatically. I suspect that catch-up reporting may be responsible but I am unable to obtain confirmation. I would appreciate any information if you have knowledge of this anomaly. The totals:
8/9 - 1,161
8/10 - 1,686
8/11 - 831
8/12 - 935
8/13 - 771
8/14 - 700
8/15 - 1,271
8/16 - 853
8/17 - 571
8/18 - 1,358
8/19 - 1,117
8/20 - 971
8/21 - 1,183
8/22 - 900
For the first time ever, Houston County had the most cases in the State with 129, followed by Mobile with 68 and Tuscaloosa with 61. With 41 cases, Jefferson County had its lowest total since early June. With 17 cases, Madison County had its west total since the end of June.