August 5 Covid-19 Update

Most of the trends from two weeks ago continue, with a couple of notable exceptions. Cases in Florida and Louisiana appear to be leveling off, with some decline over the last week or so in both states. With universities (potentially) opening in the next month, that trend will be tested. If cases continue to level and/or drop, this is tremendous news for this Fall. 

 

Also notable is Alabama’s continued dramatic surge of hospitalizations remains puzzling. As you’ll see in the chart below, hospitalizations are so high that it would mean nearly everyone who tested positive over the last couple of weeks ended up in the hospital. I was skeptical two weeks ago and now I find it almost impossible to believe. Again, I checked the numbers with Alabama’s health department and the totals add up, but I remain convinced that hospitalizations were inaccurately counted for weeks or months and the data is now catching up to reality.