The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 15 more COVID-19 deaths Sunday, and the death toll continues to mount. July was already the record worst month the state has experienced in the crisis, but this weekend saw the state’s death toll rise to 1,428 — 502 of those have come in July.
At least 296 Alabamians died from COVID-19 in June, 359 died in May, 259 died in April and 13 died in March, the first month the coronavirus appeared in Alabama.
July is also by far the worst month for new coronavirus infections in Alabama. Another 1,037 cases were confirmed by the state on Sunday.
Alabama ended June with 37,536 coronavirus cases from the first 109 days of the crisis combined. Alabama has had 39,815 coronavirus cases in the first 26 days of July — more than the other four months combined. The number of cases diagnosed have been continuing to increase in Alabama through each month of the pandemic. Since March, 77,351 Alabamians have contracted the coronavirus to this point and those are just the known cases.
The counties with the most deaths are Jefferson with 202, Mobile with 175, Montgomery with 137, Tallapoosa with 78, Tuscaloosa with 58, Walker with 57, Lee with 40, Chambers with 37, Butler with 34 and Elmore with 34.
The counties with the most coronavirus cases in the last week are Jefferson with 1,618, Mobile with 1,176 new cases, Madison with 779, Baldwin with 751, Montgomery with 585, Shelby with 430, Tuscaloosa with 384, Etowah with 336, Marshall with 326 and Calhoun with 308.
At least 1,536 people were in Alabama hospitals on Friday with COVID-19. This month has seen more Alabamians hospitalized with COVID-19 than any other month. Making the situation for patients seeking care more difficult, 5,051 Alabama healthcare workers have been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
The global pandemic is hitting nursing homes especially hard. 3,536 patients in Alabama’s long-term care facilities have contracted the coronavirus. Additionally, there have been 2,075 cases among workers at long-term care facilities.
Older Americans have been shown to be at increased risk of COVID-19 complications and the median age of those who have died from the virus nationwide is 78 years old.
The Trump Administration is aware that nursing homes are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus. The White House said on Wednesday that the administration has distributed more than 66 million gloves, 14 million masks and 13 million gowns to nursing homes.
The United States has already lost 149,649 people to the global pandemic.
“We’re deploying every tool, resource, and power at our disposal to protect our seniors and Americans of every age and background,” Trump said last week.
Alabama is under a “safer-at-home” order. Alabamians are encouraged to please stay in their homes at all times, if possible. When they do have to go out, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris have issued a statewide order that everyone wear masks or cloth face coverings whenever within six feet of other people not from your household in order to attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Wal-Mart, Publix, Dollar General and many other businesses are denying entry to anyone who will not wear a mask or a cloth face covering.
Public health authorities are advising everyone to socially distance. Don’t shake hands or hug people. Businesses are operating at 50 percent capacity and people are asked to stay at least six feet apart whenever possible. People are asked to avoid large gatherings, wash hands frequently and avoid touching your face.
