By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
The rate of COVID-19 continued to remain relatively stable in Escambia County over the past four days, although 18 new cases were confirmed among county residents out of 493 specimens collected since October 16.
Escambia has now seen 1,713 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, with 28 deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus. Less than half of those were from specimens collected at the county’s two hospitals.
At Atmore Community Hospital, the total of confirmed cases climbed by two, to 591. At D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital in Brewton, no new cases were reported since October 16, leaving the medical center’s total confirmed cases count at 242.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported that through the week ended October 4, neither of the county’s two nursing homes — Atmore Nursing Center and West Gate Village — reported any new cases, neither among residents nor staff.
ANC’s totals remain at 38 residents and 23 staff members who tested positive. Seven residents have died as a result of the pandemic. At WGV, the numbers remained at 68 residents and 42 staff members. The virus has claimed the lives of eight West Gate Village residents.
Statewide, the numbers remain high. Alabama has now seen 174,528 confirmed cases, 4,154 of them since October 16. The state’s death toll has now climbed to 2,805.