COVID-19 follow-up in Alaska: 1 death and 305 new infections reported on Friday

A total of 228 Alaskans and one non-resident with COVID-19 have died since the pandemic reached the state in March, including 23 deaths reported since January 1. Alaska’s per capita death rate is among the lowest in the country, although the size and vulnerability of the healthcare system complicates national comparisons.

72 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized around Alaska on Friday and five other patients were suspected of having the virus, according to the state health department. Hospitalizations have fallen to less than half of reported figures during a peak in November and early December.

The daily number of cases in the state has also dropped significantly in recent weeks, but the statewide alert level is still high.

Vaccines reached Alaska in mid-December. According to the last update on Friday, 43,992 people had received their first dose of the vaccine and 10 954 had received the two doses needed for the vaccine to be fully effective, according to the state’s Vaccine Monitoring Dashboard.

State officials said this week the state has allocated the received vaccine for December and January, but there are still appointments and large clinics in the days and weeks ahead.

For more information, the public can visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 and leave a message. A record says calls will be returned in order of receipt within 48 hours, but users are reporting longer delays.

Of the 296 new cases reported among Alaskan residents on Friday, there were 63 new cases in Anchorage, plus three in Chugiak and 20 in Eagle River; 36 in Wasilla; 30 in Fairbanks; 13 in Palmer; 11 at the North Pole; 11 in Bethel; six in Cordoba; four in pounds sterling; four at Kodiak; four in Juneau; four in Sitka; three in Unalaska; two in Valdez; two in Kenai; two in Soldotna; two in Utqiagvik; two in Hooper Bay; one at Anchor Point; one in Sutton-Alpine; and one in Ketchikan.

Of the communities of less than 1,000 people not named for privacy, there were 16 in the Bethel EA; 15 in the Nome census area; 13 in the Arctic Northwest Borough; 11 in the Kusilvak census area; four in the Borough of Kodiak Island; four in the borough of Fairbanks North Star; two in the Yukon-Koyukuk census region; one in the north of the Kenai Peninsula; one in the Valdez-Cordova census area; one in the Matanuska-Susitna district; one in the eastern district of the Aleutians; one in Bristol Bay plus the boroughs of Lake and Peninsula; and one in the Dillingham census area.

Nine cases were reported Friday among non-residents, including three in Anchorage, one in Cordoba, one in Wasilla and four in unidentified areas of the state.

While people can be tested more than once, each case reported by the state’s health department represents only one person.

State data does not specify whether people who test positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. More than half of the country’s infections are transmitted by asymptomatic people, according to CDC estimates.

The statewide test positivity rate on Friday was 3.68% over an average of seven days. Health officials say anything over 5% can indicate inadequate testing and widespread community transmission. The condition peaked at over 9% positivity in November.