By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
The COVID-19 pandemic re-established itself as a forced to be reckoned with in Escambia County, as 161 new cases were confirmed over the past week, with another death resulting from the novel coronavirus.
According to the report issued Tuesday, December 8, by Escambia County Healthcare Authority officials (no report was issued Friday, December 4), the county’s confirmed case count is now 2,184, with 32 deaths attributed to COVID-19.
Statewide, 276,665 Alabama residents have fallen victim to the virus out of 1,664,090 who have been tested (about 17 percent). For 3,942 of those, it was fatal.
The number of samples that have turned out positive at local hospitals increased by 49 over the past week, with the two medical facilities now having tested a combined 4,937 people.
Almost 3,900 samples (3,845) have resulted in negative readings, while 72 have been inconclusive and results were pending for 48 others.
A breakdown shows that Atmore Community Hospital has now collected 3,347 specimens, with 677 returning positive results. ACH staff have collected 2,598 samples that turned out negative.
At Brewton’s D.W. McMillan Hospital, 1,590 samples have been collected, with 316 positive tests. More than 1,200 (1,247) have tested negative, while 27 have been inconclusive and the results are pending for 21 others.
According to The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the coronavirus had continued to remain dormant at the county’s two nursing homes through November 22, as no new cases were reported among residents or staff at Atmore Nursing Center or West Gate Village.
ANC’s numbers remain at 38 residents and 23 staff members who have tested positive, with 7 deaths. At WGV, 68 residents have tested positive, including 8 who died, while 42 staff members have tested positive.