Alabama’s Coronavirus Cases Are Skyrocketing, Breaking Records For 4 Straight Days

TOPLINE

Coronavirus cases reported in Alabama are increasing at a rapid rate, setting records for new single-day cases each of the past four days; over 1,000 cases were reported on Sunday alone—the first time that’s happened since the pandemic started as the state is one of several that have experienced a massive increase in new cases over the past week.

KEY FACTS

KEY BACKGROUND

Alabama is in Phase 2 of its reopening, and has been one of the most aggressive in the nation when it comes to the reopening process, starting Phase 1 at the end of April. The state hasn’t shown any sign it will reverse track on its reopening efforts, and hasn’t exempted any part of the state from the reopening process, even though some areas have been much harder hit than others—like the capital city of Montgomery. ICUs have been at or near capacity in the city for weeks now, with some patients in need of care being sent to hospitals in Birmingham—some 90 miles north, as Montgomery’s health care system just can’t handle the current demand.

TANGENT

Alabama isn’t alone in seeing a sharp rise in cases over the past week, which marked over two weeks since massive crowds gathered at some popular vacation spots for Memorial Day and protests started following the death of George Floyd.

Over a dozen states have recently dealt with an increase in cases, with the resurgence seeming to hit Southern states especially hard. Texas, Florida and South Carolina have all reported all-time daily highs in new cases over the past few days.

BIG NUMBER

Over 115% — That’s how much the 7-day average for new cases has risen over the past week, from 336 on June 7 to an all-time high of 724 on Sunday.

FURTHER READING

Tracking COVID-19 cases in Alabama (Alabama Political Reporter)

With Some ICUs At Capacity, Alabama Accelerates Its Reopening (Forbes)

Coronavirus Cases Have Risen Over 500% In Alabama’s Capital Since The Start Of May: Report (Forbes)

Coronavirus Infections Are On The Rise In 21 U.S. States, With Cases Spiking In California, Arizona And North Carolina (Forbes)

Here Are All The States Where Coronavirus Cases Are Spiking (Forbes)