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Pike County added 18 cases to its COVID count on Wednesday, as the virus surged across the state.

According to the Alabama Department of Public Health 10 a.m. update, 3,522 new cases were reported Wednesday, continuing a trend of plus-3,000 days for cases.

Hospitalizations rose to 2,097, more than 500 more than the state saw during the July peak, said Dr. Scott Harris, state health officers.

Deaths climbed to 3,985, including 16 confirmed COVID-related deaths in Pike County.

In describing the impact of the deaths across the state, Harris said “that’s like if a 747 crashed every month for the last 10 months.”

Harris was speaking at a press conference with Gov. Kay Ivey, in which she extended a mask order until Jan. 22 as the state experiences a record-setting surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
The order, which requires face coverings to be worn in public when interacting within 6 feet (2 meters) with people outside your household, had been scheduled to expire Friday.
The Republican governor cited the rising case numbers as she announced the extension.
Ivey said she has not seriously considered another lockdown.
Alabama this week hit a record for the number of people in state hospitals with COVID-19 with more than 2,000 people hospitalized. The state also saw a record number in daily cases with more than 3,000 new infections being reported daily.
The 7-day rolling average of daily new cases in Alabama has risen over the past two weeks from 2,288 new cases a day on Nov. 24 to 3,395 new cases a day on Tuesday.
Since the pandemic began, the state health department has reported more than 280,000 confirmed and probable virus cases and nearly 4,000 confirmed and probable virus deaths in Alabama.
While the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms in most people, it can be deadly for the elderly and people with other, serious health problems.