Jackson County Reports Alabama’s First Coronavirus Death
By Scott Morris
UPDATED —An employee at the Jackson County Courthouse has died from the coronavirus, according to County Commission Chairman Tim Guffey, which could be Alabama’s first death from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guffey released a statement today, which said the employee worked in a department of the courthouse that did not require regular contact with the public. The courthouse will not reopen, however, until at least April 6, he added.
“From the day that the part-time employee last worked, the expected incubation period has now expired,” Guffey said. “All county employees who work in the same department have been notified and none of them have reported any symptoms associated with the COVID-19 virus.”
Guffey said the county, located in the Tennessee Valley in northeast Alabama, will sanitize and check the area where the employee worked before allowing any employees to return to the courthouse.
“We will continue to monitor the situation to protect the health of all employees and the public,” he said.
Guffey did not identify the employee or say when the employee died
The Alabama Department of Public Health this evening confirmed the death. The victim had underlying health conditions and died out of state, according to the department’s news release.
The number of confirmed cases in Alabama jumped to 386 on March 25, according to the health department website. The department closes out the numbers each day at 4 p.m.
Jefferson County leads the state in the number of cases at 129. Other top counties were Shelby with 42 cases, Lee with 40, Madison with 35, Tuscaloosa with 15 and Montgomery with 13.
Jackson County had two confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to the health department.
How will China impact the future of climate change? You might be surprised
As a new Trump administration signals a retreat on climate action, China is stepping up. China is the biggest producer of climate technologies like electric vehicles and solar panels.
More than 100,000 pounds of ground beef are recalled for possibly having E. coli
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture alerted federal authorities about several illnesses in the past week.
President-elect set to shape ‘Trump judiciary’ for next generation
Legal experts predict President-elect Donald Trump will move quickly next year to cement and extend his legacy in appointing federal judges.
Mama Stamberg’s relish faces its toughest critics: NPR staffers
Susan Stamberg returns with her annual love letter to the pink pile of Thanksgiving mush known as Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish.
In ‘Wicked: Part I’, Cynthia Erivo defies gravity — and convention — as Elphaba
Cynthia Erivo says being different had "something to do with" her role as Elphaba in 'Wicked: Part 1.'
In this election, demographics did not determine how people voted
Groups that Democrats believed would always turn out in their favor did not do so this year. Here's how the vote shook out in the seven swing states.
