MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama on Wednesday hit a new high for the number of coronavirus cases reported in a single day and the number of patients hospitalized with the disease, health officials said as hospitals brace for an additional wave of cases in the weeks following Thanksgiving gatherings.
Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama’s state health officer, said excluding backlogged cases, the state reported more than 3,000 additional virus cases Wednesday, a new daily record. The state also reported having 1,801 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, the highest number since the pandemic began.
“There is simply a great deal of community transmission occurring right now in most parts of Alabama. Now, more than ever, we hope that Alabamians can avoid large gatherings, wear masks in public and try to maintain a 6-foot distance from other households whenever possible,” Harris said.
One in three patients in intensive care units in the state have COVID-19, said Dr. Don Williamson, the former state health officer who now heads the Alabama Hospital Association.
Only 10% of the state’s 1,634 intensive care beds were available Monday, Williamson said. He said there are 1,471 ICU beds in use, and 486 of those are filled with COVID-19 patients.