MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – A surge of coronavirus cases in Alabama is prompting renewed health warnings from health and public officials that the risk of COVID-19 remains, and people need to take precautions.
As of Friday, more than 23,000 people statewide had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, with more than one-fourth of the cases coming in the last two weeks. The state reported 1,500 cases over a two-day period.
“COVID-19 spreads quickly, and your actions affect others,” State Health Officer Scott Harris said in a Friday statement.
Harris told The Associated Press this week that it is more important than ever for people to take precautions.
“I think reopening the economy gave a lot of people the wrong impression, or they intentionally acquired the wrong impression, that, ‘Hey everything is fine. Let’s go back to normal.’ And clearly, it is not that way. Really, now more than ever we need people to stay 6 feet apart, wear face coverings and wash their hands,” Harris said.