MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Alabama has dropped to the lowest point since the earliest days of the pandemic, state statistics show.
Just 156 people statewide were being treated for the illness caused by the new coronavirus on Sunday, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. That was the least since late March 2020, when the same number were hospitalized as COVID-19 was just beginning to spread across the state.
RMC Health System celebrated Monday with a Facebook post. The hospital in Anniston had zero COVID-19 patients.
Also on Monday, DCH Health System in Tuscaloosa posted on Facebook about current COVID-19 cases and precautions still in place at the hospital.
"DCH continues to closely monitor COVID-19 infection rates in the world, country and county," the post stated. "The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) categorizes overall levels of community transmission into low, moderate, substantial and high. Currently, Tuscaloosa County is listed as moderate but may soon move to low. Since March 9, DCH has reported 10 or fewer total COVID-19 cases at its three campuses."
Masks are still required at the hospital and visitation is limited.
Nearly 3,000 people were hospitalized statewide with COVID-19 in late January at the height of the latest wave, which health officials said was linked to the highly contagious Omicron variant. Experts are hopeful that subsequent waves won't be as bad because so many people have been vaccinated or gained immunity by contracting the illness.
About 19,100 people who died in Alabama have been said to have died of COVID-19, giving Alabama the nation's third-highest death rate from the illness at 391 fatalities for every 100,000 residents.
Over the last two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has decreased by 720, a decline of about 71%.
