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Talks of a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic ignore a stark reality: we are still in the first wave. The nation has seen a surge in cases over the past week, with new hotspots emerging in California, Florida, and Texas. The virus continues to spread in our own area. Here is a Mobile County coronavirus update.
The Numbers
According to the Mobile County Health Department, there were 232 new cases of the coronavirus last week. This marks the largest weekly total since the pandemic began. Overall, the county has accumulated 3036 cases thus far.
Health officials noted a new development in recent weeks: the virus is now infecting younger people. At the outset of the pandemic, the elderly seemed to be most susceptible. Now that the economy is opening back up and summer is in full swing, younger people are pushing the transmission of the disease.
One positive note about this change is that hospitalizations and deaths have gone down. Younger people tend to have less preexisting health issues than the elderly and are thus more likely to shake the disease off. Caution should still be exercised, as Covid-19 can kill anyone.
Mobile County has seen steadily increasing cases, but not the surge the rest of the state has seen. The county has fallen to third in overall cases, behind both Montgomery and Jefferson Counties. Baldwin County continues to see a low case count, with only 422 positives thus far.
Officials are worried about a drop in the number of tests conducted. This issue gained national prominence when the president joked about there being too many tests in a rally on Saturday night. Testing has been a big issue throughout the pandemic.
The Face Mask Controversy
Face masks continue to be an issue as well. Some states are grappling with whether or not they should be mandatory in public. Mobile County has no such rules at this point.
Studies have shown that face masks are effective in slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Unfortunately, the issue has become political. Some question their effectiveness, while others claim a face mask mandate infringes on their freedom.
In summary, the virus is still out there. Those with underlying health conditions should exercise extreme caution. Everyone should wear a face mask in public when possible and wash their hands after going out in public. It is important to remember that we do these things not just to prevent ourselves from getting sick, but to also prevent spreading the disease to others.
Stay tuned for the next Mobile County coronavirus update. You can also look back at previous updates to follow the progress we’ve made.