Alabama has more active coronavirus cases than 42 other states and Washington D.C. — including more than some states like New York, Michigan and Louisiana, which were some of the hardest-hit states early on the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported 659 more Alabamians tested positive for the coronavirus. That makes 6,915 cases in the last week, raising the total number of cases in the state to 132,973. [mfn referencenumber=*]This total now includes both probable and confirmed cases.[/mfn]
At least 51,154 Alabamians have recovered from their illness but 78,884 Alabamians still have coronavirus cases considered to be active. This is the eighth highest number of active infections in the nation, according to the data tracking website Worldometer.
All of the states ahead of Alabama are more populous. Florida is far and away the state with the most out-of-control coronavirus infection situation currently with 534,887 active cases. California is second with 361,259 active cases and Georgia is third with 223,218. Only California, Georgia, Florida, Arizona, Virginia, Maryland and Texas have more active cases than Alabama.
Despite New York suffering the worst early on in the pandemic and having a much larger population, Alabama now has 17,546 more active coronavirus cases than New York.
Alabama is also fifth in the country in total cases per capita. Alabama’s 132,973 cases represent 27,120 coronavirus cases per million people. Only Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi and Arizona have more cases per capita than Alabama.
At least 94 Alabamians have died in the last week from COVID-19.
Alabama is 20th in its COVID-19 death rate — at 464 deaths per million. This is below the national average of 584 deaths per million.
New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Louisiana have the highest death rates. But all five have fewer active cases of the virus today than Alabama currently has. The state with the lowest COVID-19 death rate is Alaska with just 57 deaths per million and 42 deaths in all.
The state’s number of cases peaked in the second half of July at 1,921 cases per day on average. It dropped consistently through August all the way down to 855 new cases per day by Aug. 17. The seven-day average now sits at 988.
The state of Alabama remains under a statewide “safer-at-home” order through Oct. 3. The order includes a statewide mask mandate. Anytime anyone in the state is within six feet of people not living in their household, they are ordered to wear a mask or cloth face covering and can be fined for failure to do so.
State public health officials are urging everyone to stay at home whenever possible, avoid large gatherings, socially distance when forced to interact with other persons, wash hands frequently, use hand sanitizer and avoid touching your face.
To date, 893,474 people worldwide have died in the pandemic including 193,263 Americans.
