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Alabama Political Reporter
- Legislature
Kenneth Paschal wins House District 73 special election
Alabama Policy Institute releases scorecards for members of the Alabama Legislature
Ledbetter elected chair of Southern Legislative Conference committee
Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter to run for Alabama House Speaker
State Rep. Bill Poole announces run for Alabama House speaker
- Opinion
- National
DOJ deals blow to Mo Brooks’ defense
Carl supports Republican decision to boycott January 6 Investigation
Sewell votes in favor of the Consumer Protection and Recovery Act
Carl cosponsors bipartisan legislation to help forest owners after natural disasters
Sen. Richard Shelby says he’s concerned about inflation
- Education
Alabama Public Health officials to recommend universal masking in schools
Alabama Department of Education launches campaign to recruit next generation of teachers
SPLC asks federal government to act on school discipline disparities
Charlotte Morris elected 9th president of Tuskegee University by Board of Trustees
Ivey announces $23.5 million for state education projects
- Health
Alabama’s new COVID cases Wednesday was highest since Feb. 4
Two Montgomery back-to-school events to offer vaccinations, give-aways
CDC recommends new mask guidance for vaccinated, schools as delta surges
UAB doctors on COVID “wildfire” : Get vaccinated now, wear masks and avoid large crowds
Doctor credits vaccine in Piedmont woman’s “breakthrough” COVID case survival
“Today” indicates the reported increase in cumulative totals reported from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on the day indicated in the timestamp on the top of the dashboard. It does not reflect cases, tests or deaths that occurred today — but rather the date on which they were reported.
5/28 Notice: Test totals did not update on 5/28. The Alabama Department of Public Health is no longer reporting presumed recoveries: “The goal in data presentation is to provide the most accurate reflection of the pandemic’s effect on the population. As part of this visualization, a number of categories were used, including defining parameters for presumed recoveries. Early in the pandemic, persons were presumed to have recovered from COVID-19 if they had not died more than a month after their illness onset or test date. With more recent developments in this pandemic, this estimate is less accurate. A small percentage of persons may become reinfected; and such persons could be counted twice. Additionally, some people experience a variety of post-COVID conditions more than a month after initial infection, even if they were asymptomatic. Thus, it may not be appropriate to classify persons with persistent or late onset symptoms as recovered. Post-COVID conditions are not reportable to public health at this time, so ADPH does not have data for these patients. As the category, presumed recoveries, is not reflective of current information, ADPH will remove this category from the dashboard effective 05/27/21.”
5/19 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health processed a backlog of 789 positive PCR results and 446 positive antigen results from two facilities on May 14, 2021. These will be classified as 789 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 446 probable COVID-19 cases reported on May 15, 2021 even though the tests were performed during September 25, 2020 through February 2, 2021 and during March 29, 2021 through May 13, 2021.
The Alabama Department of Public Health processed a backlog of 1915 positive PCR results and 2962 positive antigen results from two facilities on May 13, 2021. These will be classified as 1915 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2962 probable COVID-19 cases reported on May 14, 2021 even though the tests were performed during September 25, 2020 through February 2, 2021 and during March 29, 2021 through May 13, 2021.
5/15 Notice: A statement from the Alabama Department of Public Health: “The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has processed 2 separate backlogs for 2 large facilities over the last 3 to 4 days. It has shown an overall increase in cases which is historic not recent cases. When we have more specific information we will update you.”
5/14 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health processed a backlog of 2 positive PCR results and 2962 positive antigen results from a facility on May 13, 2021. These will be classified as 2 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2962 probable COVID-19 cases reported on May 14, 2021, even though the tests were performed from Sept. 25, 2020, through Feb. 2, 2021.
5/13 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health processed a backlog of 306 positive PCR results from a facility on May 12, 2021. These will be classified as 306 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported on May 13, 2021, even though the tests were performed from September 24, 2020, through April 16, 2021.
5/8 Notice: According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, the department “continues to examine its COVID-19 data in order to provide the most accurate picture of the current status of this pandemic. In order to reflect numbers of COVID-19 presumed recoveries, ADPH Infectious Disease and Outbreak (IDO) team reviewed our Alabama NEDSS Base Surveillance System (ALNBS) and updated some parameters. This update now allows ADPH to report presumed recoveries from COVID of 509,800 persons. ADPH expects that this number will increase and continue to be reflective of our definition of presumed recoveries.”
5/8 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) processed a backlog of 61 positive PCR results from a facility on May 7, 2021. These will be classified as 61 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 43 cases in Jefferson County, reported on May 8, 2021 even though the tests were performed during January 25 through May 3, 2021.
5/6 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) processed a backlog of 18 positive PCR results and 111 positive antigen results from a facility on May 5, 2021. These will be classified as 18 confirmed and 111 probable COVID-19 cases reported on May 6, 2021 even though the tests were performed during June 10, 2020 through May 2, 2021.
4/20 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) processed a backlog of 1110 COVID-19 cases from a facility on 04/19/21. These will be classified as 118 confirmed cases and 992 probable cases reported on 04/20/21 even though the tests were performed during October 23, 2020 to April 6, 2021. 1058 out of 1110 cases are residents of Mobile County.
4/13 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) processed a backlog of 1150 COVID-19 cases from two facilities on 04/12/21. These will be classified as 96 confirmed cases and 1054 probable cases reported on 04/13/21 even though the tests were performed during October 22, 2020 to April 7, 2021. 1138 out of 1150 cases are residents of Mobile County.
3/17 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) processed a backlog of 201 cases on 03/17/21. These will be classified as confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases reported on 03/16/21 even though the tests were performed on during October 1, 2020 through March 8, 2021. All laboratories are required by law to report all results (including positive and negative tests) for SARS-CoV-2 to ADPH. Delays in reporting by required reporters is not within control of ADPH.
3/15 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) processed a backlog of 4007 cases on 03/14/21. These will be classified as confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases reported on 03/15/21 even though the tests were performed on during October 1, 2020 through January 1, 2021. All laboratories are required by law to report all results (including positive and negative tests) for SARS-CoV-2 to ADPH. Delays in reporting by required reporters is not within control of ADPH.
3/3 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) processed a backlog of 2114 positive PCR results from a facility on 03/02/21. These will be classified as confirmed COVID-19 cases reported on 03/03/21 even though the tests were performed since May 2020. All laboratories are required by law to report all results (including positive and negative tests) for SARS-CoV-2 to ADPH. Delays in reporting by required reporters is not within control of ADPH. All laboratories are required by law to report all results (including positive and negative tests) for SARS-CoV-2 to ADPH. Delays in reporting by required reporters is not within control of ADPH.
12/01 Notice: Case counts and deaths reported on today’s update are high. Today’s increase represents a delay in reporting to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) due to the holiday weekend.
11/25 Notices: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) continues to examine its COVID-19 data in order to provide the most accurate picture of the current status of this pandemic. In order to reflect numbers of COVID-19 presumed recoveries, ADPH Infectious Disease and Outbreak (IDO) team reviewed our Alabama NEDSS Base Surveillance System (ALNBS) and updated some parameters. This update now allows ADPH to report presumed recoveries from COVID of 161,946 persons. ADPH expects that this number will increase and continue to be reflective of our definition of presumed recoveries.
11/14 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health processed a backlog of 109 positive antigen results from a facility in Tuscaloosa on November 13. These will be classified as probable cases reported on 11/13/20 even though the tests were performed during October 23 through October 30, 2020. All laboratories are required by law to report all results (including positive and negative results) for SARS-CoV-2 to ADPH. Delays in reporting by required reporters is not within control of ADPH. (Backlog appears on 11/14 on APR’s dashboard except on slide two “State’s accounting of cases per day.”)
11/11 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) recently began a review process for a large number of deaths from our Alabama Center for Health Statistics (ACHS). This may result in additional death numbers which are historic and do not reflect recent mortality due to COVID-19. For instance, at least half the deaths reported on the Data Dashboard for 11/11 are from a review of this historic data. More deaths may be added in the coming days as ADPH continues its review. Read more here.
11/1 Notice: On October 31, the Alabama Department of Public Health processed a historic lab result file from an entity in Northwest Alabama. This file will result in 846 positive lab results from June, July and August of 2020. These results primarily affect data from Limestone, Lawrence, Franklin, Colbert, and Lauderdale counties. The data will not affect the risk indicators for the counties as they are backlog data.
10/31 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health processed a backlog of 90 positive results from a facility in Covington County on October 30. These will be classified as “Confirmed Cases” reported on 10/30/20 even though the tests were performed during August 6 through October 27, 2020. All laboratories are required by law to report all results (including positive and negative results) for SARS-CoV-2 to ADPH. Delays in reporting by required reporters is not within control of ADPH. Processing the backlog will not impact the ADPH COVID-19 Risk Indicator Dashboard.
10/23 Notice: The Alabama Department of Public Health processed a backlog of 2565 positive antigen results from a facility in Mobile on October 22. These will be classified as “probable” COVID-19 cases reported on 10/22/20 even though the tests were performed during June through October 18, 2020. All laboratories are required by law to report all results (including positive and negative results) for SARS-CoV-2 to ADPH. Delays in reporting by required reporters is not within control of ADPH.
9/25 Notice: On Sept. 25, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported many backlogged positive probable cases, causing a spike in cases. At the same time, ADPH also began including “probable” cases in its county-by-county data, which we use to populate our graphs, causing what looks like an even larger surge in cases and deaths in most counties. (We have since been able to back-date the probable cases on the county-level to a closer approximation of when they were reported.) Rather than a true surge, the increase in cases on Sept. 25 is a function of older probable cases being reported. For more information, read this notice. This article also explains the backlogged data.
Positives above and cases anywhere on this dashboard include both positive “confirmed” and positive “probable” cases. Beginning on Sept. 1, the Alabama Department of Public Health began including probable cases in statewide totals. Beginning on Sept. 25, ADPH began included probable cases in county-by-county totals.
The misnomer of “probable” and “confirmed” largely is a differentiation between cases confirmed through PCR and antigen testing.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 represent persons who have positive PCR tests, whether symptomatic or not. Probable cases of COVID-19 currently represent two groups: Those who are epidemiologically linked to a case (exposed to a person who had COVID-19), have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, and do not have diagnostic tests performed due to individual decisions or other reason.
The other group of persons categorized as probable cases are people who have had rapid antigen tests performed. Rapid antigen tests, while diagnostic tests, are counted as probable due to antigen tests showing lower ability to determine if a person has SARS-CoV-2. In other words, point of care antigen tests are less sensitive and show more false negative results than laboratory performed PCR tests.
Confirmed and probable cases are investigated and contacts identified in the same manner. As more antigen diagnostic testing has been approved, the proportion of probable cases in Alabama continues to rise. As more healthcare providers use antigen testing, that trend is expected to continue. Probable cases are now being included in totals to best represent the current situation.
“Hospitalized” refers to daily hospitalizations of cases, as reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health via the Alabama Incident Management System. Data is affected by the number of hospitals that report.
Unless otherwise noted, tested totals on this dashboard include only diagnostic tests including PCR tests and antigen tests, which identify active cases of COVID-19. Totals, unless otherwise noted, do not include antibody tests, which do not identify active cases of COVID-19. ADPH separated antibody from diagnostic tests in its data on Sept. 1. For more information about that change, read this notice.
“Recovered” includes those who are presumed to be recovered and is updated once a week.
Unless otherwise noted, deaths on this dashboard include both “confirmed” and “probable” deaths. ADPH began including probable deaths in statewide totals on Sept. 1 and in county-by-county data on Sept. 25.
Tracking vaccine distribution
Totals above do not include doses delivered to and administered by federal programs in Alabama.
Different trackers (like COVID Tracking Project, Johns Hopkins University and others) have different cut-off times, so cumulative totals reported may be slightly different. Our cut-off time is 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. We capture the cumulative totals at throughout the day and end each day with the total as publicly reported at 11:59 p.m. Other trackers end earlier, for example, COVID Tracking Project cuts off at 5:30 CT. This has become less of an issue as the Alabama Department of Public Health moved to once daily updates.
It is two different measurements of the same phenomenon. We also display ADPH’s calculations of daily case counts in addition to ours. To explain how we calculate that number: We capture the cumulative total as displayed on ADPH’s public-facing dashboard from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. each day. That is the main, top-line number you see at the top of their dashboard under “POSITIVES.”
We take the cumulative total of confirmed cases at 11:59 p.m. on one day and subtract the cumulative total at 11:59 p.m. from the previous day. That is how we arrive at the “daily increase in cases.” We update this number for the current day until 11:59 p.m. For example, the cumulative count at 11:59 p.m. on May 23 was 14,149, according to ADPH’s dashboard. The cumulative count at 11:59 p.m. on May 22 was 13,670, according to ADPH’s dashboard. That is an increase in the cumulative total of 479 in a 24-hour period.
Generally speaking, our daily case counts are not much different from ADPH. But on some days, they are quite different because the top-line number on the public ADPH dashboard may not have updated. ADPH’s daily case total is kept internally and is separate from the cumulative total displayed on the public-facing dashboard. So, for example, they show May 22 ending with a cumulative total of 13,777 on their daily charts. The topline number on the dashboard showed 13,670 at 11:59 p.m.
Though daily increases can be interesting and telling, looking at an average over a longer period is a better reflection of the situation and better reflects trends. This is why we suggest looking at 7-day and 14-day averages instead of individual day increases.