Consistently high daily case counts translate to more deaths and hospitalizations that stress the health-care system, health officials say.
According to state health officials, three deaths occurred recently: a woman from Anchorage in the 90s; A woman from Kodiak in her 80s; And a woman from Kenya in the 80’s.
Nine deaths were reported after a review of death certificates: a Kenyan woman in her 90s; A woman from Cડોrdoba in her 90s; A woman from Utkiagvik in her 60s; A woman from Wasila in her 60s; A man from Wasila in his 60s; A man from Anchorage in the 80s; A man from Anchorage in his 60s who died out of state; And two women from Anchorage, both in their 60s.
The end of November was just one day of more deaths when 13 people who died from the virus were added to state data. The new daily count is also a near-record after 760 cases were reported in the state on Thursday. Officials say daily reports underestimate the true number of positive cases due to a backlog of public health data.
Since it was first found here in March, a total of 141 Alaskans have died from the virus. While the state’s per capita mortality rate remains the lowest in the country, state officials say Alaska is difficult to compare with other states due to its unique geography and poor health care system.
Officials continue to report that the shrinking hospital’s capacity and limited staff are of considerable concern across the state.
State figures made only five ICU beds available on Friday at Anchorage Hospitals, where the state’s most distressed patients end up.
As of Friday, ICU capacity in Alaska was in the red zone or more than 75% full. A total of 134 people were hospitalized in COVID-19 with 15 people suspected of being infected. Seventeen out of 125 adult intensive care unit beds were available, and 14.3% of adult hospital admissions in Alaska were related to COVID.
Of the 4,744 new cases reported by the state to Alaskan residents on Friday, ૨ in7 in Anchorage, 19 in Eagle River, four in Chugiak and one in Girdwood; 193 in Wasila, 54 in Palmer, one in Big Lake and in Sutton-Alpine; 23 in Soldotna, 17 in Kenai, six in Homer, two in Anchor Point, one in Seward, one in Nikiski and one in Sterling; 25 at Fairbank and 10 at the North Pole; 34 in Kodiak; 29 in Juneau and two in Douglas; 18 in Utkiagvik; Seven at Delta Junction and two at Tok; Eight at Bethel; Three in Sitaka; Two in Chevak; One in Valdez; One in Cotzebu; And in a Wrangell.
Of the less than 1,000 unnamed communities to protect privacy, seven were in the Yukon-Koyukuk census area; Bethel census area six; Six in the Valdez-Cordova census area; Four in the Metanuska-Susitna borough; Three in the northern Kenai Peninsula borough; Two in Ketchikan Gateway Borough; Two in Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula Borough; One in Kodiak Island borough; One at Fairbanks North Star Borough; Nome one in the census field; Three in the North West Arctic Borough; Two in the Kusilwak census area; One in the Yakutat plus Hunah-Angun area; And one of the Dillingham census areas.
Twelve cases were reported unopposed: four in Fairbank, one in Delta Junction, one in Wasila, one in the small North West Arctic Borough community, one in Sitka and four in unknown areas of the state.
Anchorage entered a revised, month-long “hunker down” this week to curb the spread of the virus and protect health care capacity. State health officials continue to encourage Alaska to avoid indoor gatherings with non-household members of the household, and report that most Alaskans who are infected get the virus from a friend, family member or colleague.
Travel is also currently considered a high-risk activity.
The Centers for Disease Control announced this week that it was revising its quarantine guidelines to allow people exposed to COVID-19 to shorten their quarantine period from two weeks to seven days with a negative COVID-19 test.
More than 1 million tests have been performed in Alaska since March. While people can be tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.
In new cases the state does not report how many people show symptoms when tested positive. The CDC estimates that about a third of people with the virus are asymptomatic.
On Thursday, the state had an average positivity rate of 6.65% in the last seven days. Health officials warn that a positivity rate of more than 5% could mean that there is not enough comprehensive testing in the community.
