Alabama: 18 COVID-19 deaths reported, 13 confirmed so far

Medical personnel screen a patient at Hartselle Family Practice, organized by Decatur Morgan Hospital, on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, in Hartselle, Ala. Those who meet the criteria for COVID-19 testing are sent to another site. (Dan Busey/The Decatur Daily via AP) Medical personnel screen a patient at Hartselle Family Practice, organized by Decatur Morgan Hospital, on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, in Hartselle, Ala. Those who meet the criteria for COVID-19 testing are sent to another site. (Dan Busey/The Decatur Daily via AP)

By Associated Press March 31, 2020 2 min read

For answers to frequently asked questions about the coronavirus, click here.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama’s official death toll from the coronavirus rose to 13 Tuesday but the state is investigating others.

The Alabama Department of Public Health said Tuesday that it will begin including information on reported deaths from coronavirus in numbers released on its website. The state said on Tuesday there have been 18 reported deaths of people who died after testing positive for COVID-19. The state has confirmed 13 of those as being caused by coronavirus.

The state has a process for reviewing deaths before adding them to the official count. The Department of Public Health said a department physician reviews the records of COVID-19 patients to determine whether a death should be attributed to the virus.

The East Alabama Medical Center, a hospital in Opelika, has reported seven deaths.