The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reported 551 new COVID-19 cases in Alaska on Wednesday, including 67 on the Kenai Peninsula. Affected peninsula communities include Kenai with 26 cases, Soldotna with 21 cases, Sterling with nine cases, Homer with five cases, Seward with three cases, “other North” with two cases and Nikiski with one case.

This is the 13th day in a row that the state has reported a daily case increase of more than 450 and the fifth day in a row that the state has recorded a daily case increase of more than 550. The state broke a record last Friday when 743 cases were reported. The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide case total to 25,588, including 24,419 residents and 1,169 nonresidents.

Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough has conducted 1,252 tests and saw a positivity rate of 12.7%.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Central Peninsula Hospital was treating 11 patients who were COVID-positive, with no patients on ventilators. To date, CPH has conducted 8,557 COVID-19 tests with 7,982 negative, 419 positive and 150 pending results.

The state reported 11 new hospitalizations and no new deaths. To date, 584 Alaskans have been hospitalized and 100 have died. Currently, there are 157 people hospitalized in Alaska who are COVID-19 positive or who are considered persons under investigation for the disease. Fifteen of the patients are on ventilators.

Alaska’s daily positivity rate for the past seven days, during which 22,676 tests were conducted, is 8.26%. To date, 885,558 tests have been conducted in Alaska.

In addition to the 67 new cases reported on the peninsula, the state also reported 251 in Anchorage, 35 in Bethel, 27 in Wasilla, 25 in Eagle River, 25 in Fairbanks, 21 in Bethel Census Area, 11 in Kodiak, 11 in North Pole, 10 in Chugiak, nine in Kusilvak Census Area, nine in Palmer, seven in Juneau, six in Delta Junction, six in Utqiagvik, four in Cordova, three in Yakutat plus Hoonah-Angoon, two in Big Lake, two in Fairbanks North Star Borough, two in Kotzebue, two in Mat-Su Borough, two in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area and one each in Bristol Bay Lake and Peninsula Boroughs, Chevak, Girdwood, Ketchikan, North Slope Borough, Northwest Arctic Borough, Sitka, Sutton-Alpine, Tok and Willow.

Two nonresident cases were also reported. One was reported in Anchorage and one has a location still under investigation.

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.