Alaska is reporting four new COVID-19-related deaths as well as 801 new cases of the virus. The state Department of Health and Social Services reported the deaths yesterday of a Bethel woman in her 40s, an Anchorage man in his 40s, an Anchorage man in his 70s and an Anchorage man who was 80 or older. A total of 435 state residents have now died from COVID-19 along with 13 nonresidents.
Across the Kenai Peninsula, Kenai reported 25 cases, Sterling 11, Homer 9, Seward 8, Nikiski 5, Anchor Point 3, Kenai Peninsula Borough North 2 and Kenai Peninsula Borough South 1. Additionally, there were 36 new nonresident cases including 1 in Kenai.
State Epidemiologist with the DHSS, Dr. Joe McLaughlin:
“Almost all of Alaska is currently in the red. We are experiencing very high levels of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Almost all of this is due to the delta variant here in Alaska and nationally. I think on the national call that CDC gave on Monday, 99% of all of the cases that are sequenced were coming back positive for the delta variant.”
Also, the state is once again breaking its record for the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the state, just one day after breaking the previous record. The DHSS reported yesterday that at least 168 people are currently hospitalized for COVID-19 in Alaska. That breaks a new record set Tuesday of 152 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Before that, Alaska’s record for the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients was 151 set in December of last year.
Meanwhile, 60.9% of Alaskans age 12 and older have received their first vaccine dose. 55.1% of Alaskans 12 and older have been fully vaccinated. 46.8% of the Kenai Peninsula Region are fully vaccinated.
