Alabama’s COVID Hospitalizations On Track To Surpass Winter Surge
Coronavirus hospitalizations in Alabama continue surging at an “unprecedented” rate, putting the state on track to break its previous record.
“We need Alabamians to understand that we’re in a very difficult position right now,” State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said. “We’re seeing case numbers again as high as we have ever seen.”
As of Thursday afternoon, hospitals were caring for 2,441 inpatients. That number will likely exceed the winter peak of 3,084 within three to four days, Harris told reporters Thursday.
With just 5% of intensive care unit beds available, Harris said that the state is considering requesting federal aid to help hospitals combat the surge and deal with staff shortages.
Alabama Department of Public Health
Graph from the Alabama Department of Public Health shows the surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Meanwhile, UAB Hospital announced Thursday that starting next week, it will decrease its normal number of inpatient surgical cases by about half.
“We are in a dire circumstance right now,” Nafziger said. “UAB Hospital is not unbreakable. But we’re rapidly getting into a position where care for services that we take for granted is not going to be available if we don’t turn this thing around.”
She said that the hospital is preparing to create additional COVID units in hallways and conference rooms, if needed.
The hospital system will start declining transfer requests for specialty care and will limit visitors.
Beginning next week, visitors will not be allowed in the emergency room, except in compassionate care circumstances.
As the fourth wave of COVID infections continues, deaths are also starting to climb upwards. Harris, with the state health department, said that it’s a lagging indicator that will almost certainly get worse.
“We’ve had more than a week now of deaths in the double digits. This is a snapshot of what was happening three or four weeks ago,” Harris said.
Statewide, health officials continue to encourage residents to get vaccinated, citing that close to 90% of people hospitalized with COVID-19 are not fully protected against the virus.
WBHM’s Miranda Fulmore contributed to this story.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story stated that UAB Hospital will be delaying surgeries for cancer patients and transplants. UAB officials updated their memo on 8/13/21 to clarify that these surgeries will not be delayed.
Trump signs executive actions on education, including efforts to rein in DEI
The directives include new efforts to curtail DEI programs at colleges, and discipline guidance for public schools.
A dozen states sue the Trump administration to stop tariff policy
A dozen states have sued the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade to stop its tariff policy, challenging Trump's claim that he could arbitrarily impose tariffs based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Air pollution still plagues nearly half of Americans. That does a number on our health
Despite improvements in air quality in past decades, 156 million Americans still breathe in too much soot or ozone, says the annual State of the Air report from the American Lung Association.
Eli Lilly sues companies selling alternative versions of its weight loss drug
The drug company Eli Lilly is suing four telehealth companies for allegedly selling copies made by compounding pharmacies of its drug Zepbound.
After a scathing rebuke, judge grants DOJ an extension in deportation case
A federal judge gave the Trump administration another week to answer detailed questions about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man whose illegal deportation has raised concerns about due process.
Funding cut for landmark study of women’s health
The Women's Health Initiative, begun in the 1990s, has made many important discoveries. Now funding to collect more research data will end in September.
