The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced that 116 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. This week, 655 new cases were identified in the state. In the last seven days, the Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau regions experienced the highest number of new cases. The Kenai Peninsula Borough saw 14 new cases in the last week, according to DHSS.
No new nonresident cases were reported. The new cases bring the statewide case total to 8,315, including 7,367 resident cases and 948 nonresident cases.
The state also reported six additional deaths Friday, five of which took place earlier this summer, for a total of 52 deaths and 280 hospitalizations. There were 11 additional hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 this week, according to DHSS data
The statewide alert level, based on the average daily case rate for the last two weeks, is high.
The average daily positivity rate in Alaska for the past seven days, during which 10,818 tests were conducted, is 2.43%. To date, 442,869 tests have been conducted in Alaska. Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough conducted 439 tests and saw a .74% positivity rate, according to DHSS’ Coronavirus Response Hub.
Statewide 2,965 people have recovered from COVID-19.
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 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.
In Seward, testing is available at Providence Seward, Seward Community Health Center, Glacier Family Medicine and North Star Health Clinic.
View the interactive map below to learn more about each testing location on the peninsula.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
