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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

With 147 new tests in Shelby County looked at by Alabama Department of Public Health in the last 24 hours, there was only one more confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday night, April 21, as the number reached 2

It marks the second time since last Thursday that there has been just a one-case jump for the county in a 24-hour timespan, while there has only been 40 total cases in the county since last Monday for an average of five per day with 910 tests looked at by the ADPH.

There are currently 274 cases and six confirmed deaths in the county due to the novel coronavirus.

Statewide, the total of COVID-19 cases is now up to 5,327 with 48,387 looked at by the ADPH. There have now been 697 hospitalizations across the state since the first case on March 13, which is an increase of 56 in the last 24 hours.

So far, 144 people have died from the virus statewide, while another 40 have been reported.

For the first time since the virus started, Jefferson County no longer has the most cases in the state, as Mobile County now has 721 confirmed cases compared to 700 in Jefferson. In the last two weeks, Mobile’s number of cases has climbed by close to 600. Lee County has the third highest total with 319.

In addition to that, Chambers, Montgomery, Tallapoosa and Madison counties both have more than 200. Chambers is at 259 confirmed cases, while Montgomery is at 245, Tallapoosa is at 228 and Madison is at 203.

Marshall (195), Tuscaloosa (157), Baldwin (123) and Etowah (109) counties all have more than 100 cases.

So far, 797 health care workers have had confirmed cases since the onset, while 260 patients have been in the intensive care unit and 157 on ventilators.

There have also been 303 long-term care patients and 261 long-term care employees with a confirmed case.

A total of 57.22 percent of confirmed cases have been female, 72.33 percent have been between the ages of 19 and 64, and 47.6 percent have been white, while 38.01 percent have been black.

In the confirmed deaths, 76.9 percent have been older than 64, 59.9 percent have been male, 47.6 percent have been black and 48.3 percent have been white.

It had also been confirmed that 15 residents and seven employees at the Columbiana Health and Rehabilitation facility had tested positive for the virus last week, while nine residents and six employees at Select Rehab, Shelby Ridge in Alabaster have also tested positive.

Since the outbreak started, positive cases have been confirmed featuring four local schools including two at Thompson High School, one at either Oak Mountain Intermediate or Elementary School, one at Helena High School and one at Calera High School. Both Helena and Calera students also possibly had contact with someone at the middle school.

It was also been confirmed that an employee at the Alabaster Chick-fil-A tested positive as did Montevallo pastor Ray Dunmyer of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and an employee at Montevallo City Hall.

The Alabaster Chick-fil-A has since reopened for takeout and drive-thru services after a thorough cleaning.

Testing for COVID-19 is now being done by appointment at UAB as well as Total Care 280 in the North Shelby area off U.S. 280, It’s About Time Urgent Care in Helena and Columbiana Clinic in Columbiana. You are urged to get tested only if you present symptoms of a fever, cough or shortness of breath, or have been in contact with somebody who has the virus.

UAB is encouraging you to call 205-975-1881 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. to describe your symptoms. They will then determine whether you present what could be COVID-19 symptoms, in which case they’ll set an appointment for you to get tested the next day.

If you think you have been exposed or have symptoms, please isolate and call your doctor or nearest medical facility for guidance or call the Alabama Department of Public Health hotline at 1-888-264-2256.

For more information about COVID-19, visit Alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/2019-coronavirus.

To view an updated dashboard of confirmed cases and see testing sites, visit Alpublichealth.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/6d2771faa9da4a2786a509d82c8cf0f7