Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 113 infections and 1 death reported Friday

Alaska on Friday reported 113 new coronavirus infections, according to the Department of Health and Social Services.

One new death related to COVID-19 was reported Friday, involving an Anchorage resident. In total, 302 Alaskans and four nonresidents with COVID-19 have died since the pandemic reached the state in March. Alaska’s death rate per capita is still among the lowest in the country, but the state’s size and vulnerable health care system complicate national comparisons.

Although case counts and hospitalizations in Alaska remain far below what they were during the peak in November and December, the overall decline in cases has plateaued in recent weeks, and many regions of the state are still in the highest alert category based on their current per capita rate of infection. The Matanuska-Susitna Borough currently has the highest two-week case rate in the state at 39.74 cases per 100,000.

Public health officials continue to encourage Alaskans to keep up with personal virus mitigation efforts like hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing and getting tested if symptomatic or exposed to someone with COVID-19.

By Friday, there were 32 people with COVID-19 in hospitals throughout the state, far below a peak in late 2020. Another four patients had test results pending.

Alaska this week became the first state to open up 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. 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 Friday, 187,069 people — about 26% of Alaska’s population — had received at least their first vaccine shot, according to the state’s vaccine monitoring dashboard. That’s above the national average of 19%. At least 128,434 people had received both doses of the vaccine.

Of the 112 cases identified among Alaska residents Friday, there were 38 in Anchorage plus four in Chugiak and two in Eagle River; one in Homer; two in Kenai; one in Soldotna; one in Kodiak; five in Fairbanks; six in Delta Junction; three in Big Lake; eight in Palmer; and 38 in Wasilla.

Among smaller communities not named to protect individuals’ privacy, there was one in the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area; one in the North Slope Borough; and one in the Kusilvak Census Area.

There was also one new nonresident case identified in Anchorage.

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.

Of all the tests conducted over the past week, 2.52% have come back positive.

Note: the state no longer updates its coronavirus dashboard on the weekend, and instead includes that data in Monday’s report.

— Annie Berman