Coronavirus cases in Alabama inch closer to 1,000, six deaths officially reported, hospital says death toll higher

Published 11:02 am Monday, March 30, 2020

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Alabama on Monday rose to more than 800 while a hospital reported additional deaths over the weekend that were not yet on the state fatality count of six.

The number of COVID-19 infections in Alabama was at 830 on Monday, the state Department of Public Health reported.

The official death count stands at six, but those numbers did not include most of the six deaths over the weekend reported by the East Alabama Medical Center, a hospital in Opelika.

The hospital said four of the patients were from Chambers County and two were from two Lee County. The hospital said Sunday that only one of the deaths was on the state count “as there’s an official process that ADPH must complete prior to adding to the COVID-19 state death count.”

Lee County Coroner Bill Harris, who first announced the East Alabama deaths, said over the weekend that he did not have ages for all the victims, but one was 51 and another was in their 80s.

Johns Hopkins University listed Alabama’s death count as 10 on Monday.

Alabama became the latest state in the nation to close many nonessential businesses with a state health order when into effect Saturday. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday repeated the call for people to stay home.

“These are uncertain times for sure. So now, and for the foreseeable future, please, please consider staying safe at home,” Ivey said in a video message released by her office.

The state health order closed businesses such as gyms, barber shops, theaters, casinos, book stores, department stores, clothing stores and nail salons.

Grocery stores, restaurants offering take-out and manufacturing plants are not included.