Alabama's positivity rate rising sharply as cases begin to increase
An important marker used to determine the spread of COVID-19 is rising quickly in Alabama, where the percent of tests that are positive has increased by 76 percent in the last two weeks. Not surprisingly, new daily reported cases and hospitalizations are rising as well.
The more contagious omicron COVID variant quickly became the dominant strain in the U.S., with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying Monday that omicron made up 73.2 percent of all samples analyzed.
Two recent studies out of Britain suggest that omicron is typically less severe than previous variants and is significantly less likely to result in hospitalizations, but Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, UABs director of infectious diseases, warned this week that much is still unknown about omicron.
Public health experts say the percentage positivity should be at or below five percent or cases are going undetected. Alabamas average daily percent positivity over the week ending Dec. 15 was 5.5 percent, and by Tuesday had increased to 9.7 percent.
Read more: https://www.alreporter.com/2021/12/24/alabamas-positivity-rate-rising-sharply-as-cases-begin-to-increase/
(Alabama Political Reporter)