Etowah County's COVID cases fall 25.9%; Alabama cases plummet 27.5%

Mike Stucka USA TODAY NETWORK
·4 min read
Wenham Public Nurse Mari Beth Ting prepares a patient to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccine clinic, organized by the Greater Cape Ann Community Collaborative, at the Hamilton-Wenham Senior Center in Hamilton, Massachusetts, on Sept. 9.
Wenham Public Nurse Mari Beth Ting prepares a patient to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccine clinic, organized by the Greater Cape Ann Community Collaborative, at the Hamilton-Wenham Senior Center in Hamilton, Massachusetts, on Sept. 9.

Alabama reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, adding 5,770 new cases. That's down 27.5% from the previous week's tally of 7,954 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Alabama ranked 23rd 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 0.6% from the week before, with 401,433 cases reported. With 1.47% of the country's population, Alabama had 1.44% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 17 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

Etowah County reported 109 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 147 cases and eight deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 31,818 cases and 676 deaths.

Last week:Etowah County's COVID cases fall 7.5%; Alabama cases plummet 19.5%

Mid-September cases:Etowah County's COVID cases fall 30%; Alabama cases plummet 32.8%

Cherokee County reported 23 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 37 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,991 cases and 87 deaths.

Marshall County reported 106 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 166 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 30,873 cases and 401 deaths.

DeKalb County reported 23 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 82 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 21,140 cases and 340 deaths.

Calhoun County reported 717 cases and five deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 456 cases and three deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 37,492 cases and 655 deaths.

St. Clair County reported 77 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 215 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 29,994 cases and 432 deaths.

Blount County reported 82 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 120 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 16,875 cases and 258 deaths.

Across Alabama, cases fell in 56 counties, with the best declines in Jefferson County, with 649 cases from 1,046 a week earlier; in Mobile County, with 188 cases from 507; and in Limestone County, with 115 cases from 272. ​

>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

Within Alabama, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Calhoun County with 631 cases per 100,000 per week; Covington County with 615; and Cullman County with 466. 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 Calhoun County, with 717 cases; Jefferson County, with 649 cases; and Madison County, with 486. Weekly case counts rose in 11 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Calhoun, Covington and Cullman counties.

In Alabama, 73 ​ people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 83 people were reported dead.

A total of 1,517,904 people in Alabama have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 20,395 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 96,070,980 people have tested positive and 1,056,416 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

Alabama's COVID-19 hospital admissions falling

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Sept. 25. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

  • Last week: 788

  • The week before that: 807

  • Four weeks ago: 1,185

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

  • Last week: 55,707

  • The week before that: 55,506

  • Four weeks ago: 64,244

Hospitals in 13 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 20 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 25 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.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Etowah County reported 109 additional COVID-19 cases this week