The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced Monday that 71 more people have tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, 70 are residents. Affected communities include Anchorage with 33 cases, Fairbanks with 14 cases, Juneau with five cases, North Pole with five cases, Utqiagvik with four cases, NW Arctic Borough with two cases and one case each in Chugiak, Dillingham, Eagle River, Homer, Hoonah-Angoon/Yakutat census areas, Kusilvak Census Area and North Slope Borough.
The nonresident case was reported in Fairbanks and is still under investigation. The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide total to 7,838, including 6,906 residents and 932 nonresidents.
The state also reported three new hospitalizations and no new deaths. Statewide, 265 people have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 45 people have died. Currently, there are 47 COVID-19-related hospitalizations, including three people under investigation for the disease.
The statewide alert level, based on the average daily case rate for the last two weeks, is high.
The average daily positivity rate in Alaska for the past seven days, during which 4,723 tests were conducted, is 2.28%. To date, 428,645 tests have been conducted in Alaska. Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough conducted 537 tests and saw a .74% positivity rate, according to DHSS’ Coronavirus Response Hub.
Locally, Central Peninsula Hospital has conducted 5,354 tests with 120 positive, 5,206 negative and 24 pending results. South Peninsula Hospital has conducted 8,824 tests with 114 positive,8,573 negative and 137 pending results.
Statewide, 2,227 people have recovered, meaning they no longer require isolation, 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.