State health officials discussed the next group of individuals who will be eligible to receive the COVID vaccine during a Wednesday press conference with Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

That group includes pre-K through 12th grade teachers, people 50 or older with certain high-risk health conditions and people living or working in congregate settings, among others. People in the group can begin scheduling appointments to be vaccinated on Thursday.

Dunleavy also addressed the pending expiration of the state’s disaster declaration. The declaration, which is set to expire on Feb. 15, allows the state more flexibility in how it can respond to the pandemic. Dunleavy said that the potential extension of the declaration is in the hands of the Legislature, which was not in session when he extended it last year. As of Wednesday, the Alaska House of Representatives remained unorganized, meaning representatives cannot receive committee assignments and legislation cannot be introduced.

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services also announced 186 new COVID-19 cases in Alaska on Wednesday, including 20 reported among nonresidents. Eight cases were reported on the Kenai Peninsula, including three in Seward, two in Soldotna, one in Kenai, one in Nikiski and one in Sterling. The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide case total to 56,097, including 53,991 residents and 2,106 nonresidents.

The state reported one new hospitalization and no new deaths on Wednesday, bringing the to-date totals to 1,192 and 278, respectively. As of Wednesday, there were 34 people hospitalized in Alaska due to COVID-19, including two who were considered persons under investigation for the disease. Six of the patients were on ventilators.

In addition to the eight new cases on the peninsula, the state also reported 46 new cases in Anchorage, 29 in Wasilla, 18 in Palmer, 15 in Fairbanks, 12 in Bethel Census Area, seven in Bethel, six in Kusilvak Census Area, six in North Pole, three in Ketchikan, three in Seward, three in Unalaska, two in Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula, two in Chugiak, two in Eagle River, and one each in Big Lake, Girdwood, Nome Census Area, Petersburg, Salcha, Sutton Alpine and Utqiagvik.

The 20 new nonresident cases included 13 in Aleutians East Borough, two in Unalaska, one in Anchorage and two with locations still under investigation.

Over the past week, the state conducted 29,673 COVID-19 tests and saw a positivity rate of 2.53%. That is compared to the Kenai Peninsula Borough, which conducted 884 tests over the past week and saw a positivity rate of 1.58%.

As of Wednesday, the Kenai Peninsula Borough was considered to be at intermediate risk level and had the third-lowest 14-day case rate in the state, with 6.98 cases per 100,000 people.

For the months of December, January and February, Alaska received an allocation of 174,400 pairs of vaccine, or 348,800 total doses including first and second doses. As of Wednesday, 162,270 doses had already been administered, including 114,117 initial doses and 48,153 second doses, though those numbers are expected to be higher due to a lag in reporting. According to the state’s COVID-19 vaccination dashboard, 10,178 doses had been administered in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, including 7,620 initial doses and 2,558 second doses.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.