The Department of Health and Social Services Saturday today announced 355 new people identified with COVID-19 in Alaska. 353 are residents in: Anchorage (165), Chevak (42), Bethel Census Area (21), Fairbanks (21), Eagle River (18), Wasilla (16), Palmer (13), Kenai (9), Bethel (5), Juneau (5), North Pole (5), Homer (4), NW Arctic Borough (4), Big Lake (2), Chugiak (2), Houston (2), Kusilvak Census Area (2), Soldotna (2) and one each in Aleutians East Borough, Douglas, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Haines, Healy, Hooper Bay, Kenai Peninsula Borough North, Nikiski, Nome Census Area, North Slope Borough, Seward, Skagway, Sterling, Valdez and Willow.
Two new nonresident cases were identified yesterday in Juneau in the mining industry.
Eighteen resident cases and one nonresident case were added to the data dashboard through data verification procedures. This brings the total number of Alaska resident cases to 12,489 and the total number of nonresident cases to 1,046.
ALERT LEVELS – The current statewide alert level, based on the average daily case rate over 14 days per 100,000, is high at 29.05 per 100,000. Regional alert levels are noted below:
High (>10 cases/100,000)
- YK-Delta Region: 91.49 cases per 100,000
- Anchorage Municipality: 37.42 cases per 100,000
- Northwest Region: 35.93 cases per 100,000
- Fairbanks North Star Borough: 27.63 per 100,000
- Other Interior Region: 19.19 per 100,000
- Kenai Peninsula Borough: 18.11 per 100,000
- Matanuska-Susitna Region: 17.31 per 100,000
- Juneau City and Borough: 16.08 per 100,000
Intermediate (5-10 cases/100,000)
- Southwest Region: 7.17 per 100,000
- Other Southeast Region – Northern: 5.94 per 100,000
Low (<5 cases/100,000)
- Other Southeast Region – Southern: 2.51 per 100,000
CASES: SEX & AGES – Of the 353 Alaska residents, 160 are male and 193 are female. 29 are under the age of 10; 60 are aged 10-19; 59 are aged 20-29; 65 are aged 30-39; 36 are aged 40-49; 41 are aged 50-59; 42 are aged 60-69; 17 are aged 70-79 and four are aged 80 or older.
CASES: HOSPITALIZATIONS & DEATHS – There have been a total of 389 hospitalizations and 68 deaths, with four new hospitalizations and no new deaths reported. Individuals who no longer require isolation (recovered cases) total 6,293.
There are currently 58 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who are hospitalized and 0 additional patients who are considered persons under investigation (PUI) for a total of 58 current COVID-related hospitalizations. Eight of these patients are on ventilators.
TESTING – A total of 552,746 tests have been conducted, with 4,799 tests conducted in the previous seven days. The average percentage of daily positive tests for the previous seven days is 5.25%.
The recent uptick in numbers represents a significant increase over Friday’s total count of 242 new cases.
Alaska’s COVID-19 cases are accelerating, driven by widespread community transmission throughout most of Alaska, with all but three of the state’s regions now in the high alert zone (average daily case rate over 14 days per 100,000 is >10 cases/100,000).
Over the past weeks, clinics and communities statewide have been increasing testing and identifying more cases, which are reported to the Section of Epidemiology (SOE), Division of Public Health. SOE has augmented data entry efforts by hiring additional staff and streamlining processes but has not been able to keep daily pace with these reports. New cases are continuing to be identified while SOE works through backlogged data entry. Based on the cases currently being entered today from SOE, the number of cases expected to be reported tomorrow to the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub will likely be even higher than today’s count.
When a person tests positive for COVID-19, they are first notified of their result by testing facilities or providers. The public health contact tracing team has also been expanding capacity to meet the increased needs, but because of the data reporting backlog, it may be several days before cases are entered into the system and a contact tracer can call those who test positive. In the meantime, those who test positive are urged to immediately call their own close contacts. The sooner close contacts can self-quarantine, get tested, and isolate if needed, the better to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Individual Alaskans working together have the power to slow down COVID-19, protecting our elders, our friends, our families and our health care capacity,” said Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink. “Alaskans are strong and resilient, and we care for each other. COVID-19 has asked a lot from all of us. Our current situation will not last forever. There is much to be hopeful about with more treatment options and vaccines on the horizon, but now is the time for all of us to take all the steps we can as individuals and as communities to help slow the spread.”
“The science has clearly shown that prevention works,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin. “Until we have a safe and effective vaccine, we need all Alaskans to double their efforts and follow COVID-19 prevention strategies in their daily lives.”
To prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Isolate yourself if you feel any cold-like symptoms and get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible.
- If you or your family need food, housing or other non-medical assistance, please contact Alaska 2-1-1 (dial 211 or 800-478-2221) or your local emergency operations center for help.
- Avoid crowded places and gatherings; keep social circles very small.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from people outside of your household.
- Always have a mask on when you are around people outside of your household – even if you can maintain a 6-foot distance from others.
- Wash your hands often and disinfect commonly touched surfaces and objects.
- If you test positive for COVID-19, notify all of your close contacts immediately; you can use the tracking sheet on the back of this flyer to help.
- Please answer the call if a public health contact tracer calls you and follow their guidance.
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