The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced 616 new COVID-19 cases in Alaska on Wednesday, including 60 on the Kenai peninsula. Affected peninsula communities include Kenai with 28 cases, Soldotna with 14 cases, Homer with six cases, Other North with five cases, Other South with three cases, Sterling with three cases and Nikiski with one case.

The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide case total to 42,473, including 41,041 residents and 1,432 nonresidents.

Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough has conducted 1,382 tests and saw a positivity of 6.52%. To date, the borough has conducted 49,647 tests. The current statewide alert level, based on the average daily case rate for the last two weeks, is high at 81.95. The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s alert level is also high at 73.3.

As of Tuesday, Southern Peninsula Hospital had conducted 15,027 tests with 14,428 negative, 437 positive and 162 pending results.

The state also reported 12 new hospitalizations and two new deaths. To date, 903 Alaska residents have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 180 have died. Currently, there are 146 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.

The two new deaths include an Anchorage man in his 60s and a Chugiak man in his 60s.

Alaska’s daily positivity rate for the past seven days, during which 28,797 tests were conducted, is 6.52%. To date, 1,166,145 tests have been conducted in Alaska.

In addition to the 60 new cases on the peninsula, the state also reported 240 cases in Anchorage, 84 in Wasilla, 34 in Palmer, 33 in Fairbanks, 30 in Kodiak, 22 in Bethel, 14 in Eagle River, 13 in North Pole, 13 in Utqiagvik, 11 in Kusilvak Census Area, nine in Chugiak, seven in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, five in Nome, four in Fairbanks North Star Borough, four in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, three in Sitka, two in Bethel Census Area, two in Cordova, two in Mat-Su Borough, two in Tok, two in Valdez, two in Willow and one each in Big Lake, Delta Junction, Healy, Kodiak Island Borough, North Slope Borough and Unalaska.

Twelve new nonresident cases were also reported. Four have locations under investigation. Three were reported in Unalaska. Two were reported in Anchorage and one each were reported in Kenai, Fairbanks and Wasilla.

School risk levels

As of Wednesday, 35 KPBSD 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 last week shifted to high risk and 100% remote learning until winter break due to confirmation of a positive COVID-19 case in the community.

The central peninsula is considered high risk when 52 or more cases have been reported in the region in the last 14 days. As of Wednesday, 488 cases had been reported in the central peninsula over the last two weeks, meaning the region will have to lose 437 cases in order to drop back into medium-risk level.

The southern peninsula is considered high risk when 20 or more cases have been reported in the region in the last 14 days. As of Wednesday, 92 cases had been reported in the southern peninsula over the last two weeks, meaning the region will have to lose 73 cases to drop back into medium-risk level.

The eastern peninsula is considered high risk when eight or more cases have been reported in the region in the last 14 days. As of Wednesday, 22 cases had been reported in the eastern peninsula over the last two weeks, meaning the region will have to lose 15 cases to drop back into medium risk.

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.