The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reported 580 new COVID-19 cases in Alaska on Tuesday, including 36 on the Kenai Peninsula. Affected peninsula communities include Kenai with 12 cases, Soldotna with nine cases, Homer with five cases, Nikiski with three cases, Other North with three cases, Sterling with two cases, Anchor Point with one case and Seward with one case.

The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide case total to 38,116, including 36,758 residents and 1,358 nonresidents.

Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough has conducted 1,537 tests and saw a positivity rate of 8.65%. 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 higher at 102.06.

As of Tuesday, Central Peninsula Hospital had conducted 9,663 tests with 8,980 negative, 606 positive and 64 pending results. Also on Tuesday, CPH was treating 12 patients who were COVID-19 positive, two of whom were on ventilators. Additionally, two non-COVID patients were on ventilators. At CPH’s Heritage Place Skilled Nursing facility, there were 10 COVID-positive residents. Twenty eight of CPH’s total staff of around 1,000 were in quarantine.

The state also reported 21 new hospitalizations and no new deaths. To date, 811 Alaska residents have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 145 people 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. Twenty one of the patients are on ventilators.

Alaska’s daily positivity rate for the past seven days, during which 30,612 tests were conducted is 6.8%. To date, 1,088,978 tests have been conducted in Alaska.

In addition to the 36 cases on the peninsula, the state also reported 209 cases in Anchorage, 64 cases in Bethel Census Area, 54 cases in Fairbanks, 28 cases in Kodiak, 28 cases in Wasilla, 24 cases in Kusilvak Census Area, 21 cases in North Pole, 19 cases in Eagle River, 15 cases in Palmer, 11 cases in Bethel, 10 cases in Utqiagvik, nine cases in Juneau, four cases in Delta Junction, three cases in Chugiak, three cases in Sitka, two cases in Aleutians East Borough, two cases in Big Lake, two cases in Fairbanks North Star Borough, two cases in Nome, two cases in Northwest Arctic Borough and one case each in Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula Boroughs, Girdwood, Healy, Ketchikan, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Kodiak Island Borough, Kotzebue, Mat-Su Borough, Tok, Unalaska and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area. Additionally, five resident cases were reported with locations still under investigation.

Sixteen nonresident cases were also reported. Nine were reported in Unalaska; four have locations still under investigation; one was reported in Anchorage; one was reported in Fairbanks and one was reported in Delta Junction.

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.