COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

DHSS: 580 new cases, 36 on the peninsula

All peninsula communities were affected except for Fritz Creek and Other South

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.

More in News

The Kenai Peninsula College main entrance on Aug. 18, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Chiappone and Dunstan to speak at the KPC Showcase

Kenai Peninsula College continues its showcase with two new speakers this week and next

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, talks about issues of concern regarding the proposed merger of supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons during a floor speech in the House chamber on Wednesday. (Screenshot from official U.S. House of Representatives video feed)
Begich leads in early results, but Alaska’s U.S. House race won’t be immediately decided

About 245,000 ballots had been counted by 11:32 p.m., and Peltola trailed by about 5 percentage points

The Alaska governor’s mansion on Wednesday. Gov. Mike Dunleavy is considered a contender for a post in Donald Trump’s second presidential administration. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Election summary: Trump wins, GOP takes over U.S. Senate, Alaska may get new governor

Begich and repeal of ranked choice voting narrowly lead; GOP may lose control of state House.

Nesbett Courthouse in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Voters line up at the polling site at Anchorage City Hall on Nov. 4, 2024. City Hall was one of the designated early voting sites in Alaska’s largest city. It is not a designated site for Election Day voting. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Alaska Republicans lose two seats in state House, increasing odds of leadership switch

Rural Alaska precincts had reported few results by 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

Donald Trump won or was leading as of Wednesday morning in all seven swing states in the 2024 presidential election. (Doug Mills / The New York Times)
Donald Trump returns to power, ushering in new era of uncertainty

He played on fears of immigrants and economic worries to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris.

A voter is handed as ballot at Woodworth School in Dearborn, Mich., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. One of the most consequential presidential elections in the nation’s modern history is well underway, as voters flocked to churches, schools and community centers to shape the future of American democracy. (Nick Hagen/The New York Times)
Trump verges on victory, picking up Pennsylvania

Donald Trump has captured Pennsylvania, the biggest prize of the seven battleground… Continue reading

Signs and supporters line the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Update: Unofficial results for the 2024 general election

Preliminary, unofficial election results as of 9:55 p.m.

Poll worker Carol Louthan helps voters submit ballots at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Update: Bjorkman, Ruffridge, Elam and Vance lead in election night results

Several residents said that they came out to vote because they knew this election was “a big one.”

Most Read