COVID-19 in Alabama: Hospital Statistics for Monday, Sept. 20 Show Hospitalizations Down, ICU Bed Availability Up
The Alabama Hospital Association has released its daily statistics on the status of Alabama hospitals in treating people with COVID-19. The latest numbers show hopeful signs that hospitalization numbers are going down, while the state now has even more ICU beds available.
As of Monday, September 20, there are 1,947 people in Alabama hospitals with COVID-19, 44 of them children. The numbers were 2,170 and 52 on Friday. A week ago, they were 2,474 and 44. That is a drop of 527 in a week.
Dr. Don Williamson, the president and CEO of the Alabama Hospital Association, says there are several reasons for the drop in hospitalizations. He says monoclonal antibodies have helped keep some people out of the hospital. He says some hospitals may also work to help keep people from having to be admitted. Unfortunately, he says deaths are another reason for the drop in hospital numbers. Williamson says deaths often lag well behind the hospitalization numbers when there is a spike in cases, such as the one we’re in now.
The state has increased its surplus of hospital beds. There are now 1,543 staffed ICU beds and 1, 517 ICU patients, for a surplus of 26 beds. On Friday, the surplus was seven beds. A week ago, there was a shortage of 11 beds.
44% of those in ICU have COVID-19. That percentage is dropping below the recent average of around 50%.
Among the adult patients, 84% are unvaccinated. Three percent are partially vaccinated, while 13% are fully vaccinated. These percentages have been roughly steady each day.
