Numbers of people hospitalized in Alabama won’t be shared with the public

WKRG News 5 viewers have been asking for several days how many people are in local hospitals, and if the hospitals are being overwhelmed. WKRG News 5 has been asking for information from local officials about that for a few days.

Thursday, however, the Mobile County Health Department said that information was on a “need to know” basis and is only being shared with certain people and individuals. MCHD Epidemiologist, Dr. Rendi Murphree, told reporters, “Hospitals are uploading that information three times daily to the Alabama Instant Notification System. The number of hospital beds available, staffed, or filled in Mobile County hospitals will not be released publicly.

MCHD: Numbers of people hospitalized in Alabama won’t be shared with the public

Why in the world would this information be "need to know".

If they don't want the public to panic, they need to keep us informed.

It is hard to know what to trust. Keeping information like this from the people hurts, not helps.

What are they hiding, low numbers or high numbers? Sure looks like they are hiding something.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

it makes no difference - the general pubic will panic and wingnuts will make un-evidenced claims

dont give numbers - they panic and ask whats being " covered up "

give numbers - they panic and or claim the numbers are fake

the % occupancy of hospitals is not normally published - so why start ??

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Nor necessarily. They could b withholding because they claimed needing aid....Fudged
# perhaps?

..and I don't think it's way too many if known....but prob not as lg of a # affected. I don't know...

In the Hospital 22 – the number of patients currently hospitalized at EAMC with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. 5 – the number of patients who were previously hospitalized with COVID-19 that have been discharged. 23 – the number of patients who are currently hospitalized with suspected COVID-19. 25 – the number of patients currently hospitalized who were previously suspected of COVID-19, but have since received a negative test result.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases by county in EAMC immediate service area Lee County – 59 Chambers County – 25 Tallapoosa County – 8 Bullock County – 3 Clay County – 2 Randolph County – 2 Russell County – 1 EAMC COVID-19 Testing Statistics 1055 – the # of COVID-19 tests submitted by EAMC 774 – the # of COVID-19 tests that were NEGATIVE 199 – the # of COVID-19 tests that are pending results 22 – the approximate percentage of tests submitted by EAMC of all tests in Alabama 9.6 – the percentage of EAMC test kits that have tested positive

Some East AL numbers taken from James Spanns FB page.


And a real time state statistics board. What does number hospitalized tell you when you can already see the number of confirmed cases and deaths?

AL Dashboard

a reply to: Doodle19815

beat me to it, i live about 54 mile from mobile al. use to have to travel for work there, and have some friends, relatives there also.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

FOIA

originally posted by: Doodle19815

In the Hospital 22 – the number of patients currently hospitalized at EAMC with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. 5 – the number of patients who were previously hospitalized with COVID-19 that have been discharged. 23 – the number of patients who are currently hospitalized with suspected COVID-19. 25 – the number of patients currently hospitalized who were previously suspected of COVID-19, but have since received a negative test result.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases by county in EAMC immediate service area Lee County – 59 Chambers County – 25 Tallapoosa County – 8 Bullock County – 3 Clay County – 2 Randolph County – 2 Russell County – 1 EAMC COVID-19 Testing Statistics 1055 – the # of COVID-19 tests submitted by EAMC 774 – the # of COVID-19 tests that were NEGATIVE 199 – the # of COVID-19 tests that are pending results 22 – the approximate percentage of tests submitted by EAMC of all tests in Alabama 9.6 – the percentage of EAMC test kits that have tested positive

Some East AL numbers taken from James Spanns FB page.


And a real time state statistics board. What does number hospitalized tell you when you can already see the number of confirmed cases and deaths?

AL Dashboard

It tells if the hospitals are really being overrun.

Thanks for the info.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Where I am at they have a separate flu center they are using. I think they are transporting the needed ICU cases to the hospital though. The situation changes every minute. They aren’t hiding anything. It is just a lot of rapidly changing info that would have to be input by resources that could be used elsewhere.

If you have nothing better to do than sit around watching hospital data change, you’ve got bigger problems. The people who would “panic” over not being able to see the hospital info are the same ones who would panic when they can see it. Let em go plant a garden instead of fretting over statistics.

I suppose I would rather they simply don’t tell us than lie to us like most other government agencies.

a reply to: Doodle19815

I have been reading stories saying all ICU beds are full in Atlanta. Can not find any numbers released that prove it though.

It is just a lot of rapidly changing info that would have to be input by resources that could be used elsewhere.

Hospitals are uploading that information three times daily to the Alabama Instant Notification System.

The people who would “panic” over not being able to see the hospital info are the same ones who would panic when they can see it. Let em go plant a garden instead of fretting over statistics.

Best to keep the peons in the dark?

originally posted by: LookingAtMars
a reply to: Doodle19815

I have been reading stories saying all ICU beds are full in Atlanta. Can not find any numbers released that prove it though.

That is Atlanta, you asked about AL in the OP. Haven’t heard about hospitals getting flooded here at all. In fact, in Mobile, an ER doc was concerned because they felt like the ER wasn’t busy enough with the regular types concerns.

It is just a lot of rapidly changing info that would have to be input by resources that could be used elsewhere.

Hospitals are uploading that information three times daily to the Alabama Instant Notification System.

The people who would “panic” over not being able to see the hospital info are the same ones who would panic when they can see it. Let em go plant a garden instead of fretting over statistics.

Best to keep the peons in the dark?

It wouldn’t be the dark. They are still posting real time numbers on their dashboard. Again, what does seeing hospital number prove? Are you trying to use them against what the media is saying? Do you want them for yourself? Are you trying to figure out what hospital to go to in an emergency (though it appears you are in Georgia and not Alabama)? What does it matter?

originally posted by: LookingAtMars
a reply to: Doodle19815

I have been reading stories saying all ICU beds are full in Atlanta. Can not find any numbers released that prove it though.

It is just a lot of rapidly changing info that would have to be input by resources that could be used elsewhere.

Hospitals are uploading that information three times daily to the Alabama Instant Notification System.

The people who would “panic” over not being able to see the hospital info are the same ones who would panic when they can see it. Let em go plant a garden instead of fretting over statistics.

Best to keep the peons in the dark?

Note on Atlanta pretty sure that is just hospitals in the city of Atlanta, just north of Atlanta in towns such as Sandy Springs, Decatur, and Marietta all have a major hospital complex within 20-25 minutes of downtown Atlanta,

Counties Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, Henry, Douglas, and Fayette essentially form metro Atlanta and all are easily within 45 minutes of downtown Atlanta. Especially in the extra light traffic.

We could be low on supplies but highly doubt beds are a problem metro-wide. I'd also like to note I've been a patient or have had family members be a patient in easily 7-8 of these hospitals spread around Atlanta over the years, and usually not for a day or two I'm talking a couple of weeks to a month or so. These are excellent hospitals, very professionally run top to bottom with the finest nurses and ER's.

List of hospitals in Georgia

en.wikipedia.org...(U.S._state)

a reply to: Doodle19815

I found the AL story looking for ATL info.

They are the only ones admitting (that I can find) that the numbers of ICU beds available, is need to know information.

originally posted by: putnam6

originally posted by: LookingAtMars
a reply to: Doodle19815

I have been reading stories saying all ICU beds are full in Atlanta. Can not find any numbers released that prove it though.

It is just a lot of rapidly changing info that would have to be input by resources that could be used elsewhere.

Hospitals are uploading that information three times daily to the Alabama Instant Notification System.

The people who would “panic” over not being able to see the hospital info are the same ones who would panic when they can see it. Let em go plant a garden instead of fretting over statistics.

Best to keep the peons in the dark?

Note on Atlanta pretty sure that is just hospitals in the city of Atlanta, just north of Atlanta in towns such as Sandy Springs ,Decatur and Marietta all have a major hospital complex within 20-25 minutes of downtown Atlanta

List of hospitals in Georgia

en.wikipedia.org...(U.S._state)

I am hoping that is the case.

Can't find any hard info about what is going on at the hospitals.

ETA - Even tried calling my local ER. Got put on hold and passed around and was not given any facts.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Can you find documents showing how many were in the hospital, or % of capacity, from 6 months or a year ago?

Here's a Twitter thread where people are filming and posting clips of their local hospitals.

twitter.com...

Maybe you'll see some Alabama clips.

a reply to: Doodle19815

Again, what does seeing hospital number prove? Are you trying to use them against what the media is saying? Do you want them for yourself?

Just trying to get a grip on what the truth is.

Videos of NY hospitals turn out to be from Italy.

I think the virus is real. At this point I think it really is starting to overrun some hospitals. Would just like some hard numbers to back that up.

a reply to: carewemust

Is that the Twitter thread where people are filming empty parking lots? If so, no hard facts there. Hospitals have a lot of parking lots.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Just focus on the death toll in Alabama from Covid-19, as compared to other contagious diseases.

For example, Here in Illinois, we lose 226 people every month to the Flu. Compared to 65 in two months to Covid-19.

Our state shutdown was pre-mature...by design.

originally posted by: LookingAtMars

originally posted by: putnam6

originally posted by: LookingAtMars
a reply to: Doodle19815

I have been reading stories saying all ICU beds are full in Atlanta. Can not find any numbers released that prove it though.

It is just a lot of rapidly changing info that would have to be input by resources that could be used elsewhere.

Hospitals are uploading that information three times daily to the Alabama Instant Notification System.

The people who would “panic” over not being able to see the hospital info are the same ones who would panic when they can see it. Let em go plant a garden instead of fretting over statistics.

Best to keep the peons in the dark?

Note on Atlanta pretty sure that is just hospitals in the city of Atlanta, just north of Atlanta in towns such as Sandy Springs ,Decatur and Marietta all have a major hospital complex within 20-25 minutes of downtown Atlanta

List of hospitals in Georgia

en.wikipedia.org...(U.S._state)

I am hoping that is the case.

Can't find any hard info about what is going on at the hospitals.

ETA - Even tried calling my local ER. Got put on hold and passed around and was not given any facts.

Listen to EMS scanners on the internet guarantee if one is full they will reroute elsewhere. I did this Friday night and believe it or not it was relatively quiet.

www.broadcastify.com...