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The State of Alabama continues to experience increases in the number of COVID-19 cases according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. While there has been a recent decline in the percentage of persons who test positive, the state is currently facing a surge that has overwhelmed Alabama’s ability to provide test results within the 2- to 3-day turnaround time needed to expeditiously make quarantine and care decisions.
The “turnaround time,” which is the time from when specimens are received in the laboratory to reporting of the results, is increasing due to a number of factors, including supply chain issues with test reagents, an overall increased demand for tests nationwide, and in some cases, increased numbers of unnecessary tests.
The current turnaround time for most COVID-19 testing performed in Alabama by commercial laboratories and the state laboratory is now averaging about seven days.
In Escambia County, the ADPH has confirmed 979 cases. Reported by the ECHA, 187 cases have tested positive at D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital and 456 confirmed at Atmore Community Hospital. For the state of Alabama, there have been 89,927 confirmed COVID-19 cases across the state.
Over the weekend, Brewton Fire Chief Jeff Salter, COVID-19 spokesman for the city, confirmed 3 firemen had tested positive for the virus.
For prevention, the ADPH advises wearing a mask and washing hands regularly. All persons with symptoms and all persons with a known exposure to a COVID-19 positive case should quarantine for at least 14 days.