Statistics from the Department of Health and Social Services show that one new death and 676 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Alaska on Saturday.
A total of 101 Alaskans have died with COVID-19 since the outbreak in March. As of Saturday, 124 people with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 had been admitted to hospitals across the state.
Saturday’s 676 new case count is the highest daily number since 4545 new COVID-19s were registered in Alaska last Saturday. The entire state is in a high-alert level area based on the number of cases reported per 100,000 people, and amid an unprecedented surge in new cases, there is only one day since November 12 in which the case count is below 500. .
The positivity of the state test as of Friday was 8.99% above the seven-day rolling average. Health officials said a positivity rate of more than %% indicates high community transmission and not adequate testing.
Of the 70 new cases reported among Alaskan residents, 301 were in Anchorage, eight in Chugiak, and eight in the Eagle River; Two at anchor points; Two in Fritz Creek; 18 in Homer; Nine in Kenai; Two in Nikiski; 11 in Saver; 29 in Soldotna; Three in sterling; 10 in Kodiak; 66 in Fairbanks; 21 at the North Pole; 11 at Delta Junction; One in the talk; 14 in Palmer; 21 in Wasila; One in the willow; Four in Nome; Two in Utkiagvik; 11 in Cotzebu; One in Douglas; Eight in Juneau; In a ketchup; Eight in Sitaka; One in Skagway; 21 at Bethel and four at Dillingham.
There were five in the northern Kenai Peninsula borough, in small communities of less than 1,000 people, without naming names to protect privacy; Five in the southern Kenai Peninsula borough; Two in Kodiak Island borough; Two in the Valdez-Cordova census area; Seven in Fairbanks North Star Borough; Three in the Southeast Faybanks Census Area; In a Ketchikan Gateway borough; 22 Bethel Census Area; Seven in the Kusilwak census area and one in an undisclosed part of the state.
Of the six uncontested cases reported in Alaska on Saturday, two were in Anchorage and four in undisclosed parts of the state.
While people can be tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.
In new cases, it is not reported how many patients showed some symptoms when tested positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about one-third of people with the virus are asymptomatic.
In all, 27,224 Alaskan residents and non-Alaska non-narcissists have tested positive for the virus since March.
State health officials say contact tracing efforts are underway across the state because of the increase in cases, and ask those who test positive to reach out to their closest contacts.
There should be a quarantine for two weeks after close contact, if they show no symptoms, and even then during that time they receive negative test results. If asymptomatic, close contacts are encouraged to test about a week after their possible exposure; If therapeutic, test immediately.
