The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced 284 new COVID-19 cases in Alaska on Tuesday, including 10 on the Kenai Peninsula. Affected peninsula communities include Kenai with four cases, Homer with two cases, Nikiski with one case, Seward with one case, Soldotna with one case and Sterling with one case.

The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide case total to 41,858, including 40,438 residents and 1,420 nonresidents.

Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough has conducted 1,638 tests and saw a positivity rate of 8.91%. To date, the borough has conducted 49,486 tests. The current statewide alert level, based on the average daily case rate for the last two weeks, is high. The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s alert level is also high at 75.51.

As of Tuesday, Central Peninsula Hospital had conducted 9,997 tests with 9,272 negative, 645 positive and 69 pending results. On Tuesday, CPH was treating no patients who were COVID-positive. CPH’s Heritage Place Skilled Nursing facility had nine COVID-positive residents. Twenty eight of CPH’s total staff of around 1,000 were in quarantine.

The state also reported 19 new hospitalizations and three new deaths. To date, 891 Alaska residents have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 178 have died. Currently, there are 132 people hospitalized in Alaska who are COVID-19 positive or who are considered persons under investigation for the disease. Thirteen of the patients are on ventilators.

Alaska’s daily positivity rate for the past seven days, during which 32,424 tests were conducted, is 6.14%. To date, 1,157,867 tests have been conducted in Alaska.

In addition to the 10 cases on the peninsula, the state also reported 125 cases in Anchorage, 24 cases in Kodiak, 24 cases in Wasilla, 17 cases in Fairbanks, 10 cases in Utqiagvik, nine in Juneau, nine in Kusilvak Census Area, nine in North Pole, eight in Palmer, five in Sitka, four in Chugiak, two in Bethel, two in Bethel Census Area, two in Big Lake, two in Delta Junction, two in Eagle River, two in North Slope Borough, two in Valdez-Cordova Census Area and one each in Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula Boroughs, Dillingham, Douglas, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Hooper Bay, Ketchikan, Nome Census Area, Skagway, Tok.

Seven new nonresident cases were also reported. Five were reported in Anchorage and two have locations still under investigation.

School risk levels

As of Tuesday, 35 Kenai Peninsula Borough School District schools were operating at high risk until at least Dec. 18, including all on the central peninsula. Two other district schools were operating at medium risk. Tebughna School also shifted to high risk and 100% remote learning until winter break last week due to confirmation of a positive COVID-19 case in the community.

Cooper Landing School and Hope School were preventatively shifted to medium-risk level on Dec. 4 by the district in response to growing COVID-19 cases on the peninsula.

Susan B. English School, Nanwalek School and Port Graham School continue to be open for on-site learning and operate at low-risk level.

During 100% remote learning, Get-It and Go meals are free for all students and can be picked up daily at school. Operational risk levels, case incidence rates and case numbers by community are updated daily on the district’s risk levels dashboard at covid19.kpbsd.org/dashboard.

Testing locations on the Kenai Peninsula

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.

In Homer, testing is available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the lower level of South Peninsula Hospital’s Specialty Clinic 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.

In Seward, testing is available at Providence Seward, Seward Community Health Center, Glacier Family Medicine and North Star Health Clinic.

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