The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced 120 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, 118 of which are among residents. Affected communities include Anchorage with 59 cases, Fairbanks with 12 cases, Wasilla with 11 cases, Palmer with eight cases, Utqiagvik with seven cases, Eagle River with six cases, Kotzebue with two cases, Northwest Arctic Borough with two cases, Sitka with two cases, Soldotna with two cases and one case each in Chugiak, Anchor Point, Valdez, Juneau, Ketchikan, Aleutians West Census Borough and Bristol Bay and Lake Peninsula.
The two nonresident cases were confirmed in Anchorage. The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide total to 8,674, including 7,721 resident cases and 953 nonresident cases.
The statewide alert level, based on the average daily case rate for the last two weeks, is high.
The state reported no new deaths yesterday. To date, 288 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 in Alaska and 56 people have died. Currently, there are 49 people hospitalized due to COVID-19, including 13 people considered persons under investigation for the disease. Seven of the patients are on ventilators.
The average daily positivity rate in Alaska for the past seven days, during which 11,160 tests were conducted, is 2.67%. To date, 451,056 tests have been conducted in Alaska. Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough conducted 713 tests and saw a .56% positivity rate, according to DHSS’ Coronavirus Response Hub.
Locally, South Peninsula Hospital has conducted 9,373 tests with 9,156 negative, 114 positive and 103 pending results. Additionally, Central Peninsula Hospital has conducted 5,759 tests with 5,587 negative, 122 positive and 48 pending results.
Statewide 3,865 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.
