By Zach Hester, Reporter • zach@southerntorch.com

ALABAMA — The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has now reported 9,355 presumed recoveries from the novel coronavirus. 

The number of recoveries is expected to be updated on a weekly basis.

According to an interview with the Alabama Reporter last month, Dr. Karen Landers, assistant state health officer, said, “Recovered is a broad term used based upon persons who were no longer having symptoms at the time of interview and/or have completed quarantine.” 

Since reporting its first case on March 13, the State of Alabama has accumulated 18,246 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 288 probable cases out of more than 200,000 tests. 644 deaths have occurred in the state.

In the last 14 days, 5,609 new cases have been reported out of 74,435 tests administered. 1,876 people have been hospitalized statewide since March 13.

According to State Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, the recent uptick in cases could be related to reopening the economy and an increase in testing.

“We do continue to have disease transmission at a community level throughout many parts of the state,” said Harris. “We need to remember that the people who are most at risk for serious disease are our senior citizens or those people who have chronic health problems and, unfortunately, Alabama’s not a healthy state, overall on average.”

This post was last updated at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2.