On Saturday, while traversing from Bellingham to Ketchikan, a member of the Matanuska’s engineering crew began showing symptoms of COVID-19. Under the Alaska Marine Highway System COVID-19 mitigation plan, the captain quarantined the crewmember in their cabin with the ventilation system turned off. When the vessel arrived in Ketchikan Sunday, the crewmember was transported to Ketchikan Hospital where they tested positive for COVID-19.
Additional testing and contact tracing was conducted through the Alaska Marine Highway System in coordination with Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. No passengers were identified as close contacts, and testing located one additional positive case among the engineering crew.
Both crewmembers will have to isolate for a minimum of ten days, per DHSS guidance. The first crewmember will isolate in a Ketchikan hotel, and the second will quarantine aboard until the Matanuska reaches Juneau, where they will disembark and isolate at home. The crew will receive follow-up testing when the Matanuska arrives in Ketchikan on Wednesday, April 21.
The Matanuska was scheduled to depart Ketchikan Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. but was delayed by 11 hours. The Alaska Marine Highway System located replacement crew and the ship left Ketchikan at 5:30 p.m. Sunday and is now anticipated to be back on schedule. The affected passengers were notified and rebooked or refunded as necessary.