COVID Cases And Hospitalizations Soaring In U.S., Alabama

BIRMINGHAM, AL —As COVID cases and hospitalizations in the U.S. continue to soar, Alabama's COVID positivity rates are following the trend and ICU capacity in several of the state's regions remains especially tight —even non-existent in one region —according to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and the Alabama Hospital Association (AlaHA).

According to NBC News, the U.S. reported 1.34 million COVID cases on Monday, topping the previous high of 1.04 million cases —set on Jan. 3 —by nearly 300,000.

In fact, the number represents the highest daily total recorded by any country since the pandemic began, according to Reuters.

The U.S. also hit its highest 7-day average for cases, reaching an average of 740,594 cases per day.

The number of COVID hospitalizations in the U.S. also hit record levels, with the 7-day average reaching 135,574 Monday, an 83.1 percent rise in the last two weeks.

NBC reported that the surge has been particularly noticeable in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic states, while Southern states have seen the largest shift in hospitalizations over the past two weeks.

On Tuesday in Alabama, the state's 7-day positivity rate was at 41.2 percent. Over that time, 117,852 tests had been administered, with 48,523 coming back positive, according to the ADPH.

All of the state's counties have reached the "Highest" level of community transmission rate, which is 10 percent or greater.

On Monday, the AlaHA reported that 1,776 people in the state were hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 infections. Of that number, 1,729 were adults and 47 were children.

The AlaHA reported that of the state's 1,528 ICU beds, 1,370 were occupied, 360 of them by COVID patients.

In Jefferson County, only 9 percent of ICU beds were available. It was one of four regions in which ICU bed capacity was below 10 percent: North was at 10 percent, Mobile at 8 percent and the East Central region was at minus 7 percent. Northeast (13 percent), Southeast (13 percent) and Southwest (19 percent) remained below 20 percent of ICU capacity.

Over the weekend, WTYV reported that some Alabama hospitals are canceling or postponing in-patient elective surgeries because of the recent surge in COVID cases. Some of the procedures that fall into the category of elective surgery are: colonoscopies, hernia surgery, removing kidney stones and even hip replacement surgery.

With staff shortages, due to workers being out with COVID, and a lack of available bed capacity, some hospitals are being forced to make tough decisions about canceling elective procedures, according to Dr. Don Williamson, AlaHa's president and CEO.

"I know in at least one large hospital system we've already got hospitals delaying in-patient elective surgeries. I expect that probably to expand across the state," Williamson told WTYV over the weekend. "While hospitals have great ability to flex and to enhance their capacity, the rate-limiting factor in that ability to expand is staffing and we are in a very, very difficult situation."

The AlaHa and University Alabama-Birmingham Hospital have been adamant recently about instructing people who are experiencing minor symptoms to avoid going to emergency rooms for COVID-19 tests.

"Emergency departments are experiencing record numbers of patients presenting with COVID, which is resulting in significantly longer wait times for all patients, including those with emergency needs," UAB Hospital wrote on social media last week.

"If you are experiencing non-life threatening COVID symptoms, including sore throat and stuffy nose, please stay home. Consider contacting your primary medical care doctor or an urgent care clinic if you need medical care for cold symptoms or non-life-threatening COVID symptoms."

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