Alabama recorded more deaths than births in 2020, marking a first in state history

Alabama, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, recorded more deaths than births in 2020, marking the first time the state’s population has declined.

“Here in Alabama, we continue to see deaths at a higher rate,” Alabama state health official Scott Harris said at a press briefing on Friday.

“This final year, 2020, will be the first year we know in our state’s history where we’ve actually had more deaths than births. Our state has literally shrunk in 2020 based on the numbers we pulled off. to pull together and actually quite a bit, ”Harris said.

Harris said Alabama recorded 64,714 deaths and 57,641 births in 2020, according to “preliminary figures.”

“It has never happened before and it has never been so close before. During World War II or during the influenza pandemic of 1918 or World War I, we never had a time when deaths exceed births until last year and it is certainly possible that could also happen this year if we continue at the same rate as we are currently seeing, ”added Harris.

Harris said hospitalizations in the state are actually down, although there are still more intensive care patients in need of beds available in Alabama. He added that more than half of the state’s eligible population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so far.

According to the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker, Alabama currently has a test positivity rate of around 27.5%.

The state has so far confirmed more than 768,000 cases and more than 13,000 related deaths.

The move comes as the birth rate in the United States has also been declining in recent years, standing at around 11.4 per 1,000 population in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.