COVID-19 hospitalizations hit new record at UAB, statewide

November 30, 2020 5:23 PM

Graphic courtesy of Alabama Department of Public Health

The number of people hospitalized with the COVID-19 disease hit a record level Monday, both at UAB Hospital and statewide, according to UAB and the Alabama Department of Public Health.

There were 1,717 people in Alabama hospitals with COVID-19 as of Monday, Nov. 30, according to the state health department’s website. That tops the previous record high of 1,613 COVID-19 patients in Alabama hospitals on Aug. 6, state data shows.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have been on an upward climb since dropping to 702 on Sept. 25. The number has spiked significantly just in the past two weeks, up from 1,228 on Nov. 16.

UAB Hospital on Monday reported a record 125 in-house patients confirmed as having COVID-19.

According to a statement from UAB, “these are patients who are either very sick, unable to get better, or potentially unable to survive without medical attention and care.”

UAB’s previous record of 124 COVID-19 patients was on Aug. 3. Monday was the first time since Aug. 12 that the number of COVID-19 patients at UAB Hospital was 100 or more.

UAB’s number of COVID-19 patients had dropped into the 40s in September and October but has spiked back up significantly.

Graphic courtesy of UAB Hospital

Dr. Kierstin Kennedy, UAB’s chief of hospital medicine, said in a video released today that everyone must remain vigilant in the fight against COVID-19.

“We all have to keep putting on our masks, keeping our distance, making sure we’re washing our hands,” Kennedy said. “The impact on the health care system could be tremendous.”

Not taking such precautions is kind of like playing Russian roulette, Kennedy said. For those who do get sick enough to need hospitalization, the question is whether there will be enough room in the hospital to treat them or whether there will be enough personnel to do so, she said.

“That is a scary thought,” Kennedy said. “We want to be able to take care of everybody that requests our care.”

So far this year, there had been 249,524 cases of COVID-19 in Alabama as of Nov. 28, including 208,023 confirmed cases and 41,501 probable cases, according to the state health department. There had been 25,338 people hospitalized with the disease in Alabama, 3,578 deaths and 161,946 recoveries as of Nov. 28, according to state data.

See more information from the Alabama Department of Public Health's COVID-19 dashboard.