July 8, 2020 - The Beat Goes On
The Beat Goes On
July 8, 2020
And the beat goes on. More cases than yesterday (1,177 incl. probables vs. 907). More current hospitalizations than yesterday (1,110 vs. 1,078). Higher positivity rate than yesterday (14.69% vs. 14.13%). Virtually the same deaths as yesterday (25 vs. 26). Slight decline in daily test average from yesterday (7,760 vs. 7,814). In short, not much has changed - and that is depressing.
Alabama’s COVID-19 experience has avoided the national spotlight recently due to jaw-dropping data coming out of other states. In the last week, Florida and Texas have seen days when they topped 10,000 new cases for the first time. Arizona’s positivity rate is off the charts, exceeding 27% and has announced that its hospitals statewide have reached 90% capacity. Texas stopped reporting statewide hospitalizations, but Houston officials announced that the largest medical complex in the State has run out of ICU capacity. Not to be outdone, Georgia also set records for new cases on back-to-back days this week, each day exceeding 3,400.
Alabama has not yet reached this critical stage but we have plenty of reasons to be concerned. For example, hospitalizations have now increased four straight days, going from 818 to 1,110. Our positivity rate (14.69%) exceeds the positivity rate in 45 states, trailing only Arizona, Florida, SC and Texas. Only 13 states have more active cases than Alabama, although only 13 states have performed fewer tests per capita than Alabama. Getting more cases out of less testing is not a formula for success in this pandemic.
Now, for the 14-day totals:
6/25 - 1,142
6/26 - 977
6/27 - 900
6/28 - 1,046
6/29 - 1,047
6/30 - 870
7/1 - 917
7/2 - 1,162
7/3 - 1,754
7/4 - 997
7/5 - 1,091
7/6 - 925
7/7 - 907
7/8 - 1,110
After reporting its fewest cases in over two weeks yesterday, Jefferson Co. regained its position as the leading hotspot in the State with 201 new cases, followed by Mobile Co. with 96 and Madison Co. with 66 cases. Baldwin (59) and Shelby (57) counties again had new case counts well above their 7-day rolling averages.