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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

After the previous week saw the second lowest increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Shelby County since the first week of the virus, the most recent seven-day span has seen another spike locally.

Following 31 cases the week before, the previous seven days saw the second highest seven-day total since the county’s battle with the novel coronavirus began thanks to 88 new cases, 56 of which came between Friday and Monday morning despite just 459 new tests looked at over the weekend.

That brings the county’s total to 637 confirmed cases with 20 deaths and 12,452 tests administered. It also comes two weeks after the largest seven-day increase of 116, meaning that 235 confirmed cases, or 36 percent, have come in the last three weeks.

In addition to the 88 new cases locally during the last week, there have been 1,785 new tests administered, meaning 4.9 percent of those tested in the last seven days have tested positive, which is up from 2.6 percent the previous seven days.

Overall, 5.1 percent of those tested in Shelby County have tested positive, which remains the same as the previous week, while 0.29 percent of the county’s population has tested positive and 5.7 percent of the population has been tested.

Across the state, the numbers have been on even more of an uptick in the last week after daily records have been set regarding confirmed cases for the last several days in a row.

Starting with June 10, the state saw 842, 721, 1,075 and 976 new cases during a four-day span.

Now sitting at 25,235 cases of the virus statewide, which is an increase of 5,069 cases in the last seven days, making it one of the largest weekly increases the state has seen, the majority of which has come between last Wednesday and Monday morning.

There have been 37,843 new tests administered over the last seven days as well, meaning 13.9 percent tested in the last week have gotten back a positive result. That’s a drastic increase from last week’s 5.8 percent.

Over the last 14 days, there have been 7,227 new cases with 87,078 tests administered in that span, which marks 8.9 percent of those tested receiving a positive test.

During the span of the virus, which now sits at three months, there have been 297,075 tests, which means 8.5 percent of those tested have tested positive.

In addition to those numbers, 0.5 percent of the state’s population has tested positive, while 6.1 percent of the state’s population has been tested since the state’s first case on March 13.

There have also been 768 confirmed deaths across the state, which marks an 80-count increase over the last seven days.

Of those who have died from the virus, 78.8 percent have been 65 or older, while 16.7 percent have been between the ages of 50 and 64. Only 4.2 percent have been between the ages of 25 and 59, while the 0-24 age range makes up 0.4 percent of deaths.

Those numbers come despite the majority of cases being in those between the ages of 25 and 49 with that age range making up 41.27 percent of the confirmed cases. Those 65 or older make up 19.8 percent of all cases, while those between 50 and 64 make up 22.1 percent and those between the ages of 0 and24 make up 16.81 percent of all cases.

Females are also getting the virus at a higher rate making up 57.28 percent of cases, while males make up 52.8 percent of those who have died.

There have also been 2,255 hospitalizations since the virus started with 233 of those coming in the last week.

Of those hospitalizations 675 have been placed in the intensive care unit, while 395 have been put on ventilators. Also, 2,008 long-term care residents and 1,193 long-term care employees have had positive cases.

There have also been 13,508 “presumed recoveries” out of the 25,235 positive cases.

If you think you have been exposed or have symptoms of COVID-19, 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

Continue to follow throughout this week for daily updates to see if the upward trend continues in relation to the number of tests administered.