On Sunday, Alaska saw the highest daily increase in COVID-19 since the outbreak began in March, with 526 new infections reported by the Department of Health and Social Services COVID-19 dashboard.
Sunday’s record number comes a week after crabs were spotted across the state, including a dramatic increase in rural communities in the UK on the non-Cuscovik Delta region. The previous highest daily case increase was Saturday, with 355 Kovid-19 cases reported.
Sunday marks the 32nd consecutive day in Alaska’s triple digits. All but three areas of the state are in the high alert zone.
The increase in Sunday’s cases was due to wider community transmission, increased testing in many communities and backlog of case data, the health department said in a statement online.
The commissioner of health, Adam Krum, said in a statement that most of Sunday’s cases were in Alaska, which is less than 600 years old. Younger people are less likely to die or become seriously ill with the virus than older people or people with compromised immunity.
“Increasing the likelihood of virus saturation in the community increases the risk of infection in people like our elderly Alaskans or others at risk of serious illness, and these are the groups we are trying to protect.”
No new deaths were reported on Sunday. The state has the lowest per capita mortality rate in the country. In all, 68 Alaskans have died from COVID-19.
(From the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services)
(From the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services)
The day before hospitalization on Sunday remained the same, with 58 Alaskans hospitalized in COVID-19. On Friday, 59 people were hospitalized with the illness, a record for the state. Hz spitlization is referred to as a “leggings indicator”, meaning people hospitalized with COVID-19 tested positive weeks ago.
On Sunday, 41 of the state’s 131 intensive care-unit beds were available. The 92 seized beds included COVID-19 patients as well as people suffering from other illnesses or injuries.
The department said Sunday that the hospital’s capacity remains stable, but noted that the Alaska Airlines Center is ready to care for patients if hospitals overflow. The department said Norton Sound Health Corporation is opening an additional alternative care site as cases continue to grow.
As of Sunday, the state’s test positivity rate was 6.32% above the seven-day rolling average.
Health department officials said Sunday that response efforts are stepping up in hopes of fighting the escalating cases.
A team of public health nurses was sent to Bethel over the weekend to help with testing, contact tracing and community education as cases continue to rise in western Alaska communities. The department also sent an additional 1,400 pounds of personal protective equipment to the area.
The federal health department sent 50 rapid test machines to Alaska for distribution around the state, and officials say the new machines will be used to “protect emerging case clusters and homeless shelters, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation facilities, storage facilities such as schools. And workplaces. “
Of the 520 cases reported among Alaskan residents on Sunday, 193 were in Anchorage, plus two in Chugiak, 13 in Eagle River and one in Girdwood. There were three in Homer, 11 in Kenai, one in Saver, 17 in Soldotna and two in Sterling; The two were in Kodiak; One was in Valdez; One was in Healy; 65 were at Fairbank and 10 at the North Pole; One at Delta Junction; There were three in the talk; In two large lakes, three in Houston, 18 in Palmer, 49 in Vasila, and two in Willow; One was in Nome; Seven were in Utkiagvik; Eight were in Cotzebu; One was in Douglas and 34 in Junau; In a ketchup; Three in Sitaka; Two in Skagway; Nine at Bethel; Two in Dillingham; 16 in Chevak and one in Hopper Bay.
Of the less than 1,000 communities not identified to protect privacy, three were in the North Kenai Peninsula borough and one in the South Kenai Peninsula borough; Three in the Valdez-Cordova census area; Two in Fairbanks North Star Borough; One of the southeastern Fairbanks census area; Five in the Yukon-Koyukuk census area; One of the metanuska-susitna boroughs; Two in the nom census area; One in the Northwest Arctic Borough; One in the Prince Wa f Wales-Hyder Census Area; A Yakutat plus Hunah-Angun; Bethel census area 11; One in Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula boroughs; One in the Dillingham census area; And one of the Kusilwak census area.
Six cases were reported among the uncontested people on Sunday, including one in Kenai, two in Pradua and three reported as unknown by the state health department.
State health officials say the contact tracer may be days before someone visits who is testing positive. In the meantime, they are urging people to reach out to their own close contacts.
The state health department says what people can do to prevent the spread of COVD-19:
Isolate yourself if you have any cold-like symptoms and are tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible. If you or your family need food, accommodation or other non-medical assistance, contact Alaska 2-1-1 (dial 211 or 800-478-2221) or your local emergency operations center for assistance.
Avoid crowded spaces and gatherings; Keep social circles too small.
Stay at least 6 feet away from people outside your home.
Always wear a mask when you are around people outside your home – even if you can keep a distance of 6 feet from others.
Wash your hands frequently and disinfect normally touched surfaces and objects.
• If a public health contact tracer calls you and follows their guidance, please answer the call.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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