Coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths continue to increase in Alabama, with a more than 50% increase in both hospitalized patients and confirmed deaths in the last 10-day period.

Though a state committee on Friday recommended the immediate reopening of small retailers and close contact businesses amid the coronavirus outbreak, with limited capacity and distancing guidelines, Gov. Kay Ivey said the state "will need to see declining cases — and stronger testing — over at least 14 days to make certain we don’t see a return in the spike up of the infection."

Fewer than 1% of Alabama's population had been tested as of April 17, according to daily Alabama Department of Public Health data released daily beginning on April 7.

More:Coronavirus: Alabama committee recommends some business reopenings

On April 7, 314 people out of 2,229 confirmed coronavirus cases had been hospitalized.

Of those 272 people, 144 were in the ICU

93 people were on "mechanical ventilation," the most extreme treatment for coronavirus which allows people to breathe via ventilators to help their bodies fight the virus.

As of April 16, 593 of 4,406 confirmed coronavirus cases had been hospitalized.

Of those 593 people, 240 were in the ICU

144 were on mechanical ventilation.

Health care workers in hospitals and doctor's offices make up 16% of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Alabama, ADPH data showed: 708 hospital and doctor's office workers have been diagnosed along with 233 "long-term care facility" employees.

How is coronavirus affecting nursing homes, other long-term care facilities?

ADPH says 233 long-term care facility employees and 276 residents have tested positive for coronavirus.

An Opelika nursing home on Thursday reportedauthorities are investigating multiple deaths after an outbreak of 79 coronavirus cases was discovered.

At least two Montgomery area nursing homes have reported cases, as well.

More:Five residents at Montgomery nursing home test positive for coronavirus

The Arbor Springs Health and Rehab Center, in Opelika, is one of the largest nursing homes in the state in an area of Alabama which has seen well over 500 confirmed cases of the virus in Lee and Chambers counties alone.

"Like many nursing homes in Alabama, Arbor Springs began taking steps to safeguard our residents and our staff before the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in the state," according to a statement from Annie Swanson, the administrator of the facility. "We limited contact among residents, and we closed our facilities to outside visitors well before we were required to do so by the state and federal government."

Seven deaths, 79 cases: East Alabama nursing home reports drastic coronavirus outbreak

How old are Alabama coronavirus patients?

The majority of coronavirus infections have been found in adults aged between 19 and 64. ADPH says 23% of cases have been confirmed in adults 65-year-old or older. Fewer than 4% of cases have been confirmed in children 18 or younger.

Experts have long cautioned that the coronavirus can be particularly deadly in older adults, and Alabama's numbers bear this out at this time. However, adults younger than 65 have not been totally spared.

Sixty-nine adults older than 65, or 62% of Alabama's confirmed fatalities, have died from COVID-19 complications. 28 adults younger than 65 have died.

How is coronavirus affecting different racial groups in Alabama?

The initial data indicates coronavirus is disproportionately affecting black Alabamians based on overall population demographics.

White Alabamians make up nearly half of all coronavirus cases in the state, with black Alabamians accounting for nearly 37 percent.

But nearly 51 percent of all fatalities have been black, with white Alabamians accounting for about 45 percent of fatalities. For comparison, U.S. Census data indicates nearly 70 percent of Alabamians are white, and nearly 28 percent are black.

More:Alabama data shows majority of coronavirus deaths are African Americans

Three people identified as Asian have died, along with one designated as "unknown."

What underlying health conditions have been found?

Along with age, people with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease are believed to be more susceptible to coronavirus complications.

A data analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation found Alabama ranks among the top six most at-risk states for its adult population. The analysis examined state-level health data to determine the percentage of "high-risk" adults, which include all adults over the age of 60, as well as young adults with heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or diabetes.

The data show 46 percent of Alabama adults fall under those categories and are at higher risk of developing serious illness if infected with coronavirus.

According to ADPH data, the following conditions were verified in confirmed fatalities:

53 people, 54% of all fatalities, had cardiovascular disease

43 people had diabetes

44 people had multiple underlying conditions

20 people had chronic lung disease

22 people had chronic renal disease

3 people had chronic liver disease

22 people who died from COVID-19 had no underlying health conditions, ADPH said. Of those patients, the media age was 77.

What Alabama counties have the highest coronavirus infection rates?

Chambers County in east Alabama continues to far outpace other counties in coronavirus infection rates and total fatalities.

More:'Everything happened fast': Why is this Alabama county the hardest hit by coronavirus?

Though other counties, such as Jefferson County, have higher case counts, Chambers' per capita infection rate was a staggering 706 cases per 100,000 people by Friday afternoon. 11 people have died from the illness in Chambers, with an 11 additional deaths under investigation.

Mobile County, though it doesn't have a particularly high per capita infection rate according to the most recent testing, appears to be the deadliest county at this time. 16 people have died and another 24 deaths are currently being investigated.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Melissa Brown at 334-240-0132 or mabrown@gannett.com.