COVID-19 cases spike in Alabama

<p><p><p><p>Alabama breaks the record for new COVID-19 cases reported in one day.
<p>State Health Officials report 11,075 as of Wednesday.</p><p>“We know that’s an underestimate because it doesn’t include people who had been fortunate enough to find an in home test kit.  More than 41% of the tests coming back are positive now” says Dr. Don Williamson, President of the Alabama Hospital Association.</p><p>Dr. Williamson says Health Officials have not seen anything spread this fast.</p><p>He says he’s seeing that now in the hospitals.</p><p>“Unfortunately, we have seen hospitalizations go from about 330 on December 3rd to Tuesday with 1,246,” says Williamson.</p><p>Williamson says 1,336 people are in Alabama hospitals.</p><p>“We’ve seen ICU bed usage double.  We now have over 200 people in our ICU.  We have less than 100 people on ventilators, that’s still a win but given the number of cases we’re seeing. I don’t think there’s any doubt our hospital numbers are going to continue to rise” says Williamson.</p><p>On Tuesday, 30 people were in Alabama hospitals with Influenza and 1,200 people with COVID-19.</p><p>Dr. Williamson says you have to make a decision about whether or not going to any large group gatherings indoors is a wise decision.</p><p>He says if you make the decision to attend an indoor event, your best defense is to wear a mask.</p><p>Williams says you have to assume you are going to be exposed.</p></p></p></p></p>