ADPH making more COVID-19 numbers available

Published 12:17 pm Saturday, April 4, 2020

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By EMILY SPARACINO | Staff Writer and ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

Since Gov. Kay Ivey issued a stay-at-home order on the afternoon of Friday, April 3, the Alabama Department of Public Health has made more numbers available to the public.

Originally only sharing confirmed cases, number of tests and number of confirmed deaths statewide, the ADPH is now making readily available the number of confirmed cases, tests given, hospitalizations, reported deaths and confirmed deaths.

Each county can also see the number of confirmed cases as well as the number of tests given, reported deaths and confirmed deaths.

Right now, Shelby County has administered 646 tests with 120 confirmed cases, meaning 18.6 percent of those tested end up with a confirmed case, while 81.4 don’t. The county also has four confirmed deaths of the illness, which are all that have currently been reported to the ADPH. The latest numbers were as of 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 4.

Statewide, there are now 1,550 confirmed cases of the virus with 10,829 tests administered. In addition to that, there are 41 reported deaths, 26 of which are confirmed, while the ADPH is reporting 212 hospitalizations.

So far, there are no recovery numbers available.

The 26 confirmed deaths have come from 13 different counties, including Chambers, Etowah, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lee, Madison, Marion, Mobile, Montgomery, Randolph, Shelby, Tallapoosa and Washington. Chambers and Mobile have had the most confirmed deaths with five each, while Shelby is just behind with four.

Shelby County is one of now 58 counties with multiple cases of COVID-19 and now has the third highest total of confirmed cases. Jefferson County still makes up the most from a single county with 369 confirmed cases with nine reported deaths, as their numbers continue to rise, while Madison County now has 123 confirmed cases, Mobile County has 107 and Lee County has 100.

A total of five counties now have 100 or more confirmed cases, while nine counties now have 40 or more. Other distinct numbers include 83 from Chambers County, 61 from Montgomery County, 49 from Walker County and 41 from Tuscaloosa County.

In addition to that, Autauga, Baldwin, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Colbert, Coosa, Covington, Cullman, Dallas, Dekalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Morgan, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Russell, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Washington, Wilcox and Winston all have multiple cases.

Other counties listed as having one confirmed case of COVID-19 include Barbour, Butler, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dale, Fayette and Lamar.

This latest update featured 65 of Alabama’s 67 counties with at least one confirmed case.

So far, positive cases have also been confirmed featuring four local schools including two at Thompson High School, one at either Oak Mountain Intermediate or Elementary School, one at Helena High School and one at Calera High School. Both Helena and Calera students also possibly had contact with someone at the middle school.

It has also been confirmed that an employee at the Alabaster Chick-fil-A tested positive as did Montevallo pastor Ray Dunmyer of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church.

The Alabaster Chick-fil-A has since reopened for takeout and drive-thru services after a thorough cleaning.

Testing for COVID-19 is now being done by appointment at UAB as well as Total Care 280 in the North Shelby area off U.S. 280, It’s About Time Urgent Care in Helena and Columbiana Clinic in Columbiana. You are urged to get tested only if you present symptoms of a fever, cough or shortness of breath, or have been in contact with somebody who has the virus.

UAB is encouraging you to call 205-975-1881 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. to describe your symptoms. They will then determine whether you present what could be COVID-19 symptoms, in which case they’ll set an appointment for you to get tested the next day.

If you think you have been exposed or have symptoms, please isolate and call your doctor or nearest medical facility for guidance or call the Alabama Department of Public Health hotline at 1-888-264-2256.

For more information about COVID-19, visit Alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/2019-coronavirus.

To view an updated dashboard of confirmed cases and see testing sites, visit Alpublichealth.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/6d2771faa9da4a2786a509d82c8cf0f7