Alabama mayor diagnosed with COVID-19 dies as cases surge

Coronavirus tile / photo courtesy of Getty Images
Coronavirus tile / photo courtesy of Getty Images

CLANTON, Ala. (AP) -- A longtime Alabama mayor diagnosed with the disease caused by the new coronavirus has died, city officials said Thursday as the illness continued surging in the state.

The Clanton Fire Department announced on its Facebook page that Mayor Billy Joe Driver had died while fighting COVID-19. The 84-year-old Driver served with the department before becoming mayor of the central Alabama town of 8,800 people in 1984.

News outlets reported that Driver had been hospitalized since late June. He planned to retire later this year, said the Fire Department message.

Driver's death came as cases continued to increase precipitously in the state as the virus spreads through communities. More than 1,100 people are currently hospitalized statewide with the disease, severely limiting the number of intensive care beds that are available, and an increasing percentage of people are testing positive for the illness.

The state's disease caseload has increased steadily in the weeks since Gov. Kay Ivey allowed businesses to reopen to stimulate the economy.

More than 48,000 people in Alabama have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, with more than 30% of the infections reported in the past two weeks. At least 1,042 people have died with the illness.

While most people who contract the coronavirus recover after suffering only mild to moderate symptoms, it can be deadly for older patients and those with other health problems.

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