There Were More Deaths Than Births In Alabama Last Year, A Grim First For The State
By Nell Clark, NPR
In 2020, for the first time in recorded history, more people died in Alabama than were born in the state.
“Our state literally shrunk,” Dr. Scott Harris, the state‘s top health official, said at a press briefing last week.
The state saw some 64,714 total deaths last year, Harris said, compared with about 57,641 births. Those numbers are preliminary, and officials will confirm them toward the end of this year.
Alabama hasn’t hit such a milestone in more than 100 years, not even during World War II, Harris noted.
The coronavirus, which is spreading in Alabama as well as much of the country, is what’s behind those numbers.
The delta variant currently circulating is putting a strain on critical health care systems in Alabama, as the state currently doesn’t have enough ICU beds for those who need them.
Still, some politicians there continue to push back on vaccines. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joined other GOP attorneys general last week in threatening to sue the White House over its recent vaccine mandate plans.
Some 41.3% of Alabama’s population is fully vaccinated, according to NPR’s tracker. Harris said at the briefing that the state “continues to do a pretty good job” in that regard. Nationally, 54.6% of the total U.S. population is fully vaccinated.
And the 2020 milestone may not be unique for long. Alabama could see higher deaths than births again in 2021 if the state continues on its current grim trajectory.
This story originally appeared on the Morning Edition live blog.
9(MDA2ODEyMDA3MDEyOTUxNTAzNTI4NWJlNw004))
Trump names former Florida AG Pam Bondi as his new pick for U.S. attorney general
After former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration, President-elect Donald Trump named Pam Bondi, a former attorney general of Florida, as his next pick for U.S. attorney general.
Police report gives details, timeline of the sexual assault claim against Pete Hegseth
The woman who accused then-Fox News host of sexual assault in 2017 said that she "remembered saying 'no' a lot," according to a police report. Hegseth is President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense.
Alabama Black Belt’s sewer crisis a tougher fix for residents in manufactured homes
Poor sanitation has long plagued residents in Alabama’s Black Belt. For people with manufactured houses, finding a solution has been more challenging.
In Birmingham, Black men’s groups work to save young men from the cycle of gun violence
As the city inches closer to its homicide record, community members are trying to address a sense of fatalism and lack of opportunity felt by some young men.
What is the ICC and can it really arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu?
The ICC also issued warrants for Yoav Gallant, former Israeli defense minister, and Hamas leader Muhammad Deif. But it doesn't have an enforcement mechanism and relies on states to make the arrests.
Former Brazilian president indicted over alleged coup plot
Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro and several others have been charged with attempting to overthrow incoming government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022.
