Nearly half a dozen more Alaskans are dead after contracting COVID-19. The state Department of Health and Social Services reported five new coronavirus deaths yesterday, raising Alaska’s death toll from the pandemic to 400 residents. The most recent deaths were that of a Sitka woman in her 40s, two Anchorage women in their 70s, an Anchorage woman in her 60s and an Anchorage woman in her 20s.
The health department also reported 459 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, including 436 resident cases. Across the Kenai Peninsula, Soldotna reported 23 cases, Kenai 19, Homer 16, Seward 8, Kenai Peninsula Borough North 4, Nikiski 2, Anchor Point 1 and Sterling 1. Additionally, there were 23 new nonresident cases reported in Alaska, including 1 in Seward.
In addition to the five new deaths, there are 43 new hospitalizations. There are currently 132 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who are hospitalized. Fifteen of these patients are on ventilators.
The current statewide alert level – based on the reported number of cases per 100,000 people over the past 7 days – is high (red) at 340.0. For boroughs and census areas: 24 areas are at the high alert level, of which the Kenai Peninsula Region is one of those.
59.3% of Alaskans age 12 and older have received at least their first vaccine does. 53.4% of Alaskans 12 and older have been fully vaccinated. 45.4% of the Kenai Peninsula Region are considered fully vaccinated.
