The Mobile County Health Department confirmed Wednesday that a second local patient who had tested positive for COVID-19 has died, as the coronavirus outbreak continued to spread across the region.
Health officials said the patient, a 74-year-old man with underlying medical conditions, had gone to a hospital showing known COVID-19 symptoms and was admitted. He eventually succumbed to the illness, though officials said the exact date of death was unclear.
“We are sad to report our second death in Mobile County,” Health Officer Bernard Eichold said. “The MCHD team is conducting case contact disease surveillance of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19. Everyone should take this (illness) very seriously and keep persons infected in their thoughts and prayers.”
Eichold also renewed calls for local merchants to limit the number of customers allowed inside their stores at one time and to mark off six feet of spacing in checkout lines, in line with state and federal social distancing recommendations.
Statewide and local restrictions tighten
The death came as Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s order closing “non-essential” businesses remained in effect statewide, a measure that left mostly grocery stores, pharmacies and gun shops open to the public. In Mobile, Mayor Sandy Stimpson went a step further, requiring the businesses still allowed to operate to enforce social distancing among their customers. Those new citywide rules were set to take effect at 7 a.m. Thursday, April 2.
According to the health department, most people infected with COVID-19 experience mild respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath, though some cases become severe enough to require hospitalization. Officials urged anyone experiencing symptoms to contact their healthcare provider first so appropriate precautions could be taken before an in-person visit.
The Mobile County Health Department and the Alabama Department of Public Health continued to urge residents to follow statewide health orders, including bans on gatherings of 10 or more people and any gathering where six feet of distance between attendees can’t be maintained.
Health officials also reiterated a now-familiar list of precautions: stay home when sick, avoid contact with people who are sick, cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer, avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth, and regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home.