The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced 79 new cases of COVID-19 — 76 cases in Alaska residents and three cases in nonresidents. Two of the new cases are on the Kenai Peninsula.
The two new cases on the peninsula reported Wednesday are both in Kenai, according to the DHSS coronavirus response hub website. Of the other new resident cases, 37 are in Anchorage, one is in Kodiak, 14 are in Fairbanks, one is in North Pole, one is in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, seven are in Wasilla, one is in Willow, one is in Nome, two are in Utqiagvik, two are in the Northwest Arctic Borough, one is in Ketchikan, two are in the Bethel Census Area, one is in Dillingham, one is in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, one is in Kotzebue and one is in the Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula boroughs.
The breakdown of cumulative cases on the peninsula is now: 92 cases in Soldotna, 73 in Kenai, 68 in Homer, 62 in Seward, 31 in the “other South” category used for communities on the southern peninsula with fewer than 1,000 people, 23 in Sterling, 12 in the “other North” category, 10 in Anchor Point, six in Nikiski and four in Fritz Creek.
Of the 381 cases on the peninsula so far, 121 of those are still active, while 258 people have recovered, defined as no longer needing isolation. Two of the Alaskans whose deaths were linked to COVID-19 were residents of Anchor Point, though one was out of state when he died.
According to DHSS data, there are now 4,438 resident cases of COVID-19 in Alaska, and 809 nonresident cases.
Of the Alaska residents who have tested positive, 1,316 of them have recovered while there are still 3,093 active resident cases. There have been 29 deaths of Alaska residents associated with the disease.
Of the nonresident cases, 624 are still active while 185 have recovered.
In total, there have been 184 hospitalizations of residents with COVID-19, and four hospitalizations of nonresidents. Those numbers include people who have since recovered.
As of Wednesday, there were 45 people being hospitalized for confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to state data, and 11 people being hospitalized as people under investigation for suspected cases.
According to the data hub, 310,849 tests have been performed in Alaska.
As of Tuesday, the state had a seven-day positivity rate of 1.94%. According to the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center, Alaska ranks first in testing among states and second to the District of Columbia, a territory. Alaska has 4.9 tests per 1,000 people and D.C. 5.1 tests per 1,000.
Earlier this week, the state announced the 29th Alaskan whose death has been linked to COVID-19. It was a man in his 80s with underlying health conditions.
Testing
In Homer, testing continues to be available from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at South Peninsula Hospital’s main entrance as well as through SVT Health & Wellness clinics in Homer, Seldovia and Anchor Point. Call ahead at the hospital at 907-235-0235 and at the SVT clinics at 907-226-2228.
In Ninilchik, NTC Community Clinic is providing testing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The testing is only for those traveling, symptomatic, needing testing for medical procedures, or with a known exposure after seven days. Only 20 tests will be offered per day. To make an appointment to be tested at the NTC Community Clinic, call 907-567-3970.
On the central peninsula, testing is available at Capstone Family Clinic, K-Beach Medical, Soldotna Professional Pharmacy, Central Peninsula Urgent Care, Peninsula Community Health Services, Urgent Care of Soldotna, the Kenai Public Health Center and Odyssey Family Practice.
Call Kenai Public Health at 907-335-3400 for information on testing criteria for each location.
Reach Megan Pacer at mpacer@homernews.com.
