Tuscaloosa Tops Highs For New Coronavirus Cases, Deaths In Week

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Days ahead of Christmas, Tuscaloosa County topped a couple of dreaded records over the previous week, recording more deaths and new coronavirus cases in a single week than any other point in the pandemic. While officials say the situation for DCH Health System remains manageable, worries persist when looking at what the coming weeks may bring as the Christmas and New Year's holidays usher in the return of University of Alabama students to campus for the spring semester in January.

QUICK FACTS

• Tuscaloosa County reports a cumulative case total of 17,063 identified since March, which includes 5,108 classified as probable. The county also saw its 7-day average for new cases per day rise to 127.29 — a new record.
• Despite the local availability of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, city officials said on Tuesday a recent survey of the city's police and fire department employees showed roughly 45% of staffers willing to take the vaccine.
• Cases continue to surge statewide and across the country, as Alabama broke its record for new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, adding nearly 5,000 in just 24 hours.

According to Tuesday's data update by Bamatracker.com, Tuscaloosa County logged 293 new cases in a day, bringing its one-week total to a new high of 1,502. Even more worrisome is the county's death rate of coronavirus-positive individuals, with 12 Tuscaloosa County residents dying in the last week alone, marking another high. What's more, DCH saw a total of 24 deaths over the last week, with the other 12 being residents from its 11-county service area outside of Tuscaloosa County.

The new highs come on the same day DCH Health System reported 178 coronavirus hospitalizations at its facilities in Northport and Tuscaloosa, adding 27 new patients on Tuesday. Officials continue to point out that while ICU numbers have climbed to new highs in December, they have stayed in the 30s and not forced the hospital system to pivot.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, in his regular pre-council briefing to the City Council on Tuesday, reported that as of 8 a.m., DCH had 25 available medical surge beds at its hospitals in Northport and Tuscaloosa, along with 10 open ICU beds.

He was quick to point out the current availability for DCH is also not to levels where any additional modifications, which are still possible, would be required at present.

Maddox also said, during his briefing Tuesday morning with DCH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robin Wilson, he was informed of patients testing positive for the virus who are coming into the hospital later with more advanced symptoms, ultimately limiting treatment.

"So if you’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19 and you’re not feeling well, treat those symptoms early and not later," he said.

He also spoke to sustained impacts on the the city's workforce, pointing out that the Tuscaloosa Police Department remains below 70% of its available staff due to coronavirus protocols, along with trainee officers being unable to work alone. The department currently reports 48 staffers out due to testing positive for the virus or coming into close contact with a positive case, while another 57 are classified as being on "NON-COVID LEAVE," for various reasons.

Conversely, virus outbreaks within Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue, which were a recent point of concern, have shown noticeable improvement.

"I wouldn’t say we’re in good shape, but I’d say we’re in fair shape," Maddox said. "In fact, part of that is because our teams have learned to operate under these constraints."

However, despite the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine making its way to Tuscaloosa and being available to first responders, Maddox said city officials have seen a "relatively-low" response after surveying police and fire employees about two weeks ago on their willingness to receive the vaccine.

City spokesman Richard Rush clarified to Patch that surveys show about 45% of its first responders who currently want the vaccine.

"Now, we could mandate that, but I’ve been hesitant to do that for two reasons," Maddox said. "Number one is that our first responders have earned the opportunity over the last nine months to make that decision. They’ve been on the front lines, they’ve understood the risk. Number two, I think mandating that would create morale issues within a department that’s already stretched thin."

The current availability of vaccine dosages will likely have little to no impact immediate impact on the nationwide surge stretching hospital capacities across the country, as community spreading of the virus hits Tuscaloosa hard.

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As Christmas and New Year's are sure to bring with them new spikes in cases and hospitalizations due to holiday gatherings and travel, Maddox also said it was important to monitor the situation ahead of the return to campus for University of Alabama students in January.

"DCH is handling this situation, but with Christmas and New Year's, does that create a surge and in mid-January, when students come back, are we still in surge?" Maddox asked, saying he planned to speak again with UA President Stuart Bell before the end of the year to discuss the situation as it develops. "That could be a critical point in time, right now we don’t know. Again, I feel very positive that DCH has been able to take on such a high number of patients."

The numbers continue to trend in a similar, grim direction statewide, with Patch reporting that Alabama added a record 4,979 new virus cases Tuesday. The state also confirmed 63 deaths of coronavirus-positive patients over the last 24 hours.

Heading into Christmas later this week, Maddox encouraged the public to remember the basics of personal hygiene and social distancing, along with limiting gathering sizes. DCH officials this week recommended gatherings to not extend past those who live in the home where it is taking place.

"Anecdotally, when you talk to physicians, the biggest place we see the spread is in personal gatherings," Maddox said. "We’re encouraging everyone to apply common sense, do what you can and do your part because that's where we tend to see the most advanced cases of these spreads that are occurring with the community themselves."

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