Alabama saw its largest jump in coronavirus cases – and tests – to date: Week in review – AL.com

Alabama added more confirmed coronavirus cases in the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend than in any previous week, but that may not be as bad as it sounds. The state also vastly increased the number of tests it performed, and the percentage of tests performed that came back positive decreased slightly.

Also, fewer Alabamians died this week due to the virus than in any week in the last month.

Signs may be pointing up in some parts of the state, but things are still far from normal. Alabama is continuing the process of reopening its economy, even as some areas are experiencing the worst of the outbreak. Officials in Montgomery County reported hospitals were strained, and many other rural Alabama counties, especially in the Black Belt, are seeing spikes in cases.

In the last week, as of late Friday afternoon, the Alabama Department of Public Health confirmed 2,260 cases of the virus. More than 1,000 of those were in just five counties - the only five counties to add more than 100 cases over that time.

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Montgomery saw nearly 300 new cases in that time, as the outbreak there continues. Mobile County, which saw a large spike in cases a few weeks ago, continues to see large growth in cases. It added 252 cases last week, and still has the most virus cases and deaths in the state. Jefferson County, home to Birmingham and the most populous county in the state, added 232 cases. It also performed the most tests of any of these five counties, and saw the lowest case-to-test ratio last week of those same counties.

Tuscaloosa County, which has had relatively low numbers to this point, added 133 new cases this week, a 44 percent increase. Franklin County, in northwest Alabama, added 117 cases, for a total of 413. Franklin is home to just 31,000 people, and now has the fourth highest virus rate in the state at 131 cases per 10,000 people.

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Overall, the states 2,200 new cases was the highest weekly total since the pandemic started. But other metrics suggest that raw case number isnt as stark as it may first appear. The state performed more than 33,000 tests this week. Thats by far the most of any week so far this year.

The 2,200 positives equate to a 6.7 percent positive rate, which is down from the previous two weeks, meaning the state is finding fewer cases per test, which suggests reduced community spread.

Across Alabama, 52 people died this week because of the virus. Thats the fewest virus-related deaths for any week since April 17.

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A few rural areas, especially in the Black Belt, are seeing more serious indications of spread than elsewhere in Alabama.

Franklin County, which saw a large increase in cases relative to its size, also saw a low number of tests performed, especially compared to the other counties with the most new cases. Just 403 tests were done there over the last week, resulting in a case-to-test ratio of 29 new cases per 100 tests. That was third highest in the state last week behind Choctaw county at 41 cases per 100 tests, and Lowndes County with 36 cases per 100 tests.

Lowndes County has the highest per capita rate of infections in Alabama, with 171 cases per 10,000 people. And numbers are not falling there. Lowndes, next door to Montgomery County, added 47 cases this week, for a total of 166.

Lowndes saw a rate of 48.3 new cases per 10,000 people this week, second in the state behind Bullock County, which saw a new case rate of 48.5 per 10,000. They were followed by Sumter, Choctaw and Franklin counties in terms of new cases per capita over the last week.

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Do you have an idea for a data story about Alabama? Email Ramsey Archibald at rarchibald@al.com, and follow him on Twitter @RamseyArchibald. Read more Alabama data stories here.

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Alabama saw its largest jump in coronavirus cases - and tests - to date: Week in review - AL.com