Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 249 new cases reported Sunday and no new deaths

The state reported 249 new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska on Sunday — the highest daily increase recorded since the start of the pandemic, according to the Department of Health and Social Services COVID-19 dashboard. There were no new deaths reported.

The high numbers on Sunday mark the 18th straight day in which Alaska cases have tipped into triple digits, soaring past a previous surge that took place in July. Cases reported Sunday topped the previous record of 232 cases set the day before.

Sixty Alaskans have died with COVID-19 since the pandemic began here in March.

Statewide as of Sunday, 42 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 while 15 other hospital patients were awaiting test results, according to state data.

Of the new cases, it wasn’t clear how many patients were showing symptoms of the virus when they tested positive.

Of the 248 new cases of COVID-19 involving residents, 110 were in Anchorage, four were in Chugiak; 17 were in Eagle River; one was in Homer; three were in Kenai; four were in Seward, four were in Soldotna; one was in Sterling; two were in Cordova; 29 were in Fairbanks; seven were in North Pole; one was in Houston; 13 were in Palmer; five were in Wasilla; three were in Utqiagvik; six were in Kotzebue; one was in Douglas; nine were in Juneau and 11 were in Bethel.

Among communities smaller than 1,000 not identified to protect confidentiality, there was one case in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area; five in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area; six in the Northwest Arctic Borough; two in the Bethel Census Area; one in the Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula area and two in the Kusilvak Census Area.

There was one nonresident case in Anchorage.

The state’s test positivity rate as of Sunday was 4.56% over a seven-day rolling average. The rate reflects the number of positive results divided by total tests performed. Health officials say levels over 5% may indicate communities aren’t doing enough testing. Friday was the first time the state’s average positivity rate passed that threshold before dipping slightly back down by Saturday and Sunday.

— Tess Williams

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