Tuscaloosa County's COVID cases up 19.3%; Alabama cases fall 6.2%

Mike Stucka USA TODAY NETWORK
·4 min read
A child receives her coronavirus vaccine at Knoxville Area Urban League's Shoes for School event in Caswell Park in Tennessee on Aug. 6.
A child receives her coronavirus vaccine at Knoxville Area Urban League's Shoes for School event in Caswell Park in Tennessee on Aug. 6.

Alabama reported 14,695 new cases of coronavirus in the week ending Sunday, down 6.2% from the previous week. The previous week had 15,672 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Alabama ranked third 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 17.1% from the week before, with 543,317 cases reported. With 1.47% of the country's population, Alabama had 2.7% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 16 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

The Labor Day holiday may have altered how many people can get tested and when, and when governments report testing results and deaths. This will skew week-to-week comparisons.

Tuscaloosa County reported 755 cases and three deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 633 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 64,584 cases and 807 deaths.

Pickens County reported 51 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 82 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,856 cases and 108 deaths.

Fayette County reported 36 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 41 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,420 cases and 97 deaths.

Hale County reported 53 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 32 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,336 cases and 109 deaths.

Greene County reported 19 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 11 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 2,109 cases and 51 deaths.

Bibb County reported 103 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 125 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 7,394 cases and 105 deaths.

Lamar County reported 54 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 48 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 4,303 cases and 68 deaths.

Across Alabama, cases fell in 35 counties, with the best declines in Madison County, with 898 cases from 1,183 a week earlier; in DeKalb County, with 135 cases from 410; and in Talladega County, with 411 cases from 599.

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

Within Alabama, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Franklin County with 762 cases per 100,000 per week; Cleburne County with 617; and Walker County with 531. 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 Jefferson County, with 2,147 cases; Madison County, with 898 cases; and Tuscaloosa County, with 755. Weekly case counts rose in 30 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Jefferson, Tuscaloosa and Franklin counties.

In Alabama, 112 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, seven people were reported dead.

A total of 1,494,300 people in Alabama have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 20,160 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 94,748,404 people have tested positive and 1,047,498 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

Alabama's COVID-19 hospital admissions staying flat

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Sept. 4. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

  • Last week: 1,190

  • The week before that: 1,185

  • Four weeks ago: 1,199

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

  • Last week: 63,337

  • The week before that: 64,048

  • Four weeks ago: 71,125

Hospitals in 10 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 15 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 21 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 Tuscaloosa News: Tuscaloosa County reported 755 additional COVID-19 cases this week