Department of Health and Social Services Wednesday announced one death and 204 new people identified with COVID-19 in Alaska. 204 are residents in: Anchorage (133), Wasilla (15), Eagle River (8), Soldotna (6), Kenai (4), Utqiaġvik (4), Bristol Bay/Lake & Peninsula boroughs (3), Fairbanks (2), Juneau (3), Nome Census Area (3), Chugiak (2), Delta Junction (2), Homer (2), Sterling (2), Valdez-Cordova Census Area (2) and one each in Bethel Census Area, Dillingham, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Healy, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Kotzebue, North Pole, Palmer, Seward, Sitka, Skagway and Yakutat Borough/Hoonah-Angoon Census Area.
No new nonresident cases were identified yesterday. Eight resident cases were added to the data dashboard through data verification procedures. This brings the total number of Alaska resident cases to 11,605 and the total number of nonresident cases to 1,039.
ALERT LEVELS – The current statewide alert level, based on the average daily case rate over 14 days per 100,000, is high at 25.76 per 100,000. Regional alert levels are noted below:
High (>10 cases/100,000)
YK-Delta Region: 36.11 cases per 100,000
Northwest Region: 35.15 cases per 100,000
Anchorage Municipality: 34.75 cases per 100,000
Fairbanks North Star Borough: 30.99 per 100,000
Other Interior Region: 20.11 per 100,000
Kenai Peninsula Borough: 16.03 per 100,000
Juneau City and Borough: 15.19 per 100,000
Matanuska-Susitna Region: 13.69 per 100,000
Intermediate (5-10 cases/100,000)
Southwest Region: 8.65 per 100,000
Low (<5 cases/100,000)
Other Southeast Region – Northern: 4.89 per 100,000
Other Southeast Region – Southern: 4.3 per 100,000
CASES: SEX & AGES – Of the 204 Alaska residents, 95 are male and 109 are female. Sixteen are under the age of 10; 29 are aged 10-19; 36 are aged 20-29; 35 are aged 30-39; 34 are aged 40-49; 29 are aged 50-59; 14 are aged 60-69; seven are aged 70-79 and four are aged 80 or older.
CASES: HOSPITALIZATIONS & DEATHS – There have been a total of 375 hospitalizations and 68 deaths, with nine new hospitalizations and one new death reported. The person who died was a male Anchorage resident in his 60s. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.
Individuals who no longer require isolation (recovered cases) total 6,110.
There are currently 41 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who are hospitalized and 0 additional patients who are considered persons under investigation (PUI) for a total of 41 current COVID-related hospitalizations. Eight of these patients are on ventilators.
TESTING – A total of 547,140 tests have been conducted, with 12,149 tests conducted in the previous seven days. The average percentage of daily positive tests for the previous seven days is 4.61%.
BETHEL YOUTH FACILITY UPDATE – Four staff and one youth tested positive for COVID-19 for a total of five cases identified at the Bethel Youth Facility (BYF). The youth who tested positive for COVID-19 experienced mild symptoms and has recovered and completed their medical isolation. All other youth in the facility were tested and received negative results last week. Close contacts to the positive staff cases have been tested. Weekly testing for youth and close contact staff members at the facility will continue this week. All newly admitted residents to BYF are tested upon admission, placed on quarantine for 14 days and given another test prior to the end of their time in quarantine. Visitation is suspended at the facility.
Governor Mike Dunleavy’s administration held a COVID-19 press conference featuring the Governor, Department of Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin and Public Health Director Heidi Hedberg yesterday evening. The press conference was broadcast on KSRM 920AM and also livestreamed on the Governor’s Facebook page. The video can be found HERE.