By Michael Seale
MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama reported a daily average of more than 6,000 COVID-19 cases Monday, but medical officials remain optimistic because hospitalizations in the state have not reached anywhere near the numbers seen in 2021.
Alabama reported 4,162 new COVID-19 cases Monday, and the 7-day average is at an all-time high of 6,139 due to mostly to the 12,927 new cases reported Sunday. However, state hospitalizations due to the virus stood at 1,102. The Alabama Department of Public Health reported more than 3,000 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at this time last year.
Dr. Sarah Nafziger of UAB said in a news conference that while cases are increasing, the number of patients in Alabama’s hospitals are not rising as rapidly as they were just a few months ago. UAB has 105 people hospitalized with COVID as of Monday and 28 are in the ICU.
“While (hospitalizations) are increasing, they are not skyrocketing at the same pace we’ve seen with other surges,” Nafziger said. “They are increasing, but not as quickly.”
She said while hospitalizations are not as high, that can quickly change.
“The thing that is different for us with this surge is the omicron strain is really putting a strain on our staffing,” she said. “We are having a lot of staff who are test- ing positive. We have a lot of patients who are being admitted for other things, who also happen to have COVID and have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.”
Nafziger said the new variant has produced different symptoms than previous variants of the virus, with more sore throats and headaches, and fewer people reporting losing their sense of taste or smell.
