The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced 136 new COVID-19 cases in Alaska on Thursday, of which 127 are residents. Affected communities include Anchorage with 61 cases, Fairbanks with 26 cases, Wasilla with eight cases, Nome Census Area with six cases, Kotzebue with four cases, Northwest Arctic Borough with four cases, Utqiagvik with four cases, Eagle River with three cases, Kodiak with two cases, Valdez with two cases, Healy with two cases, Palmer with two cases and one each in Kenai Peninsula Borough North, Juneau and Bethel Census Area.
Eight of the nonresident cases were reported in the Northwest Arctic Borough in mining and one was reported in Anchorage. The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide case total to 8,912, including 7,948 residents and 964 nonresidents.
The statewide alert level, based on the average daily case rate for the last two weeks, is high.
The state also reported one new death: a male Anchorage resident in his 60s. To date, 294 people have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Alaska and 57 people have died. Currently, there are 42 people hospitalized because of COVID-19 in Alaska, including 14 who are considered persons under investigation for the disease. Six of the patients are on ventilators.
The average daily positivity rate in Alaska for the past seven days, during which 15,940 tests were conducted, is 3.32%. To date, 462,323 tests have been conducted in Alaska. Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough conducted 610 tests and saw a .66% positivity rate, according to DHSS’ Coronavirus Response Hub.
Locally, Central Peninsula Hospital has conducted 5,898 tests with 5,714 negative, 125 positive and 55 pending results.
Statewide 4,310 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.
