Etowah County's COVID cases up 8.2%; Alabama cases surge 10.8%

New coronavirus cases leaped in Alabama in the week ending Sunday, rising 10.8% as 13,354 cases were reported. The previous week had 12,047 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Alabama ranked ninth among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 2.3% from the week before, with 795,621 cases reported. With 1.47% of the country's population, Alabama had 1.68% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, seven states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

Etowah County reported 198 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 183 cases and three deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 30,671 cases and 660 deaths.

Cherokee County reported 69 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 53 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,650 cases and 87 deaths.

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Marshall County reported 196 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 143 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 29,355 cases and 399 deaths.

DeKalb County reported 158 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 163 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 20,205 cases and 334 deaths.

Calhoun County reported 263 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 239 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 35,055 cases and 640 deaths.

St. Clair County reported 276 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 241 cases and three deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 28,399 cases and 425 deaths.

Blount County reported 114 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 97 cases and three deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 16,209 cases and 251 deaths.

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Within Alabama, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Fayette County with 472 cases per 100,000 per week; Wilcox County with 453; and Coosa County with 422. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the newest cases overall were Jefferson County, with 2,030 cases; Madison County, with 1,137 cases; and Mobile County, with 943. Weekly case counts rose in 47 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Madison, Jefferson and Escambia counties.

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>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

​ Across Alabama, cases fell in 19 counties, with the best declines in Randolph County, with 26 cases from 49 a week earlier; in Autauga County, with 118 cases from 137; and in Tuscaloosa County, with 511 cases from 530. ​

In Alabama, ​ 52 ​ people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 83 people were reported dead.

A total of 1,449,812 people in Alabama have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 20,026 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States, 92,927,104 people have tested positive and 1,037,021 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

Alabama's COVID hospital admissions rising

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Aug. 14. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

• Last week: 1,266
• The week before that: 1,199
• Four weeks ago: 1,255

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

• Last week: 72,082
• The week before that: 71,315
• Four weeks ago: 70,906

Hospitals in 13 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 18 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 27 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.