The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reported 505 new COVID-19 cases in Alaska on Thursday, including 75 on the Kenai Peninsula. Affected peninsula communities include Soldotna with 28 cases, Kenai with 19 cases, Sterling with 11 cases, Homer with nine cases, Seward with three cases, Anchor Point with two cases, Nikiski with one case, Other North with one case and Other South with one case.
This is the 14th day in a row that the state has reported a daily case increase of more than 450 and the sixth day in a row that the state has recorded a daily case increase of more than 500. The state broke a record last Friday when 743 cases were reported. The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide case total to 26,081, including 24,909 residents and 1,172 nonresidents.
Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough has conducted 1,421 tests and saw a positivity rate of 11.4%.
Locally, South Peninsula Hospital has conducted 12,677 tests with 12,218 negative, 249 positive and 210 pending results. As of Thursday, Central Peninsula Hospital had conducted 8,638 tests with 8,064 negative, 435 positive and 133 pending results. CPH was treating 10 patients who were COVID-19 positive and there were 16 positive residents at Heritage Place. Additionally, 77 of CPH’s approximate 1,000 total staff were out on quarantine. No patients were on ventilators.
The state also reported eight new hospitalizations and one new death. The individual who died was an Anchorage man in his 40s. To date, 593 Alaskans have been hospitalized and 101 have died. Currently, there are 149 people hospitalized in Alaska who are COVID-19 positive or who are considered persons under investigation for the disease. Fourteen of the patients are on ventilators.
Alaska’s daily positivity rate for the past seven days, during which 24,596 tests were conducted, is 8.03%. To date, 898,799 tests have been conducted in Alaska.
In addition to the 75 cases on the peninsula, the state also reported 248 cases in Anchorage, 29 in Bethel, 22 in Wasilla, 20 in Fairbanks, 11 in Delta Junction, 10 in Eagle River, eight in Bethel Census Area, eight in Palmer, seven in Kodiak, six in Bristol Bay Lake and Peninsula Boroughs, six in Sitka, six in Utqiagvik, five in Juneau, four in Chugiak, four in Nome, four in North Pole, three in Girdwood, three in Kotzebue, three in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, three in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, three in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, two in Ketchikan and one each in Big Lake, Denali Borough, Dillingham, Douglas, Houston, Kusilvak Census Area, Mat-Su Borough, Nome Census Area, Skagway and Yakutat plus Hoonah-Angoon.
Five nonresident cases were also reported. One was reported in Homer and four were reported with locations 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.
