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

Alaska on Wednesday reported 201 coronavirus infections and no new deaths linked to COVID-19, 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, 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, 329 Alaskans and five 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, 300,627 people — about 49% of Alaskans eligible for a shot — had received at least their first dose. At least 247,758 people — about 41% of Alaskans 16 and older — were considered fully vaccinated, according to the state’s vaccine monitoring dashboard.

By Wednesday, there were 50 people with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 in hospitals throughout the state, far below a peak in late 2020.

Of the 199 cases reported among Alaska residents on Wednesday, there were 58 in Anchorage, plus five in Chugiak, five in Eagle River and two in Girdwood; 29 in Fairbanks; 25 in Wasilla; 17 in Palmer; 10 in North Pole; seven in Kenai; five in Soldotna; five in Juneau; two in Ketchikan; two in Craig; two in Willow; one in Valdez; one in Homer; one in Seward; one in Kodiak; one in Delta Junction; one in Utqiagvik; one in Bethel; and one in an unknown region of the state.

Among communities smaller than 1,000 people that aren’t named to protect residents’ privacy, there were nine in the Kusilvak Census Area; five in the Bethel Census Area; one in the Fairbanks North Star Borough; one in the North Slope Borough; and one in the Prince of Wales and Hyder Census Area.

There were also two new cases among nonresidents: one in Anchorage and one in Ketchikan.

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