Alaska News

Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 201 cases and no deaths reported Wednesday

Alaska on Wednesday reported 201 coronavirus infections and no COVID-19-related deaths, according to data from the Department of Health and Social Services.

Although case counts and hospitalizations in Alaska remain below what they were during a peak in November and December, the state’s average daily case rate has been increasing in recent weeks. Most regions in the state are still in the highest alert category based on their current per capita rate of infection.

Health officials continue to encourage Alaskans to wear face coverings in public, avoid large gatherings, wash their hands frequently and get vaccinated against COVID-19 to prevent further spread.

In total, 310 Alaskans and four nonresidents with COVID-19 have died since the pandemic reached the state last spring. Alaska’s death rate per capita remains among the lowest in the country.

Alaska in March became the first state in the country to open vaccine eligibility to anyone 16 and older who lives or works in the state. You can visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 to sign up for a vaccine appointment; new appointments are added regularly. The phone line is staffed 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends.

By Wednesday, 284,974 people — about 47% of Alaskans eligible for a shot — had received at least their first dose. At least 227,884 people — about 38% of Alaskans 16 and older — were considered fully vaccinated, according to the state’s vaccine monitoring dashboard.

By Wednesday, there were 47 people with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 in hospitals throughout the state, far below a peak in late 2020 but part of a slight increase over the last few weeks.

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Of the 196 cases reported among Alaska residents, there were 60 in Anchorage, plus two in Chugiak and 11 in Eagle River; 51 in Wasilla; 16 in Palmer; 12 in Fairbanks; 10 in North Pole; one in Cordova; two in Valdez; two in Anchor Point; three in Kenai; one in Nikiski; one in Seward; six in Soldotna; two in Kodiak; two in Delta Junction; one in Nome; four in Juneau; one in Ketchikan; and two in Wrangell.

Among communities smaller than 1,000 people that aren’t named to protect privacy, there was one in the Denali Borough; one in the North Slope Borough; two in the Bethel Census Area; one in the Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula area; and one in the Kusilvak Census Area.

There were also five new cases among nonresidents: one in Cordova, one in Fairbanks, one in the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area and two in Juneau.

While people might get tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.

The state’s data doesn’t specify whether people testing positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. More than half of the nation’s infections are transmitted from asymptomatic people, according to CDC estimates.

— Annie Berman

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