The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced Monday that 77 additional individuals tested positive for COVID-19 in Alaska. All but two are residents. Anchorage had 47 cases; Fairbanks had 10 cases; Wasilla had seven cases; Juneau had five cases; North Pole had two cases; Utqiagvik had two cases; Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area had one case and one case is still currently under investigation.
One of the nonresident cases is in the Aleutians East Census Area related to North Slope Oil, and the other nonresident case is still under investigation. The new cases bring the total number of cases in Alaska to 7,270, including 6,353 residents and 917 nonresidents.
The state also announced that no new individuals died or were hospitalized due to COVID-19. In total, 44 individuals have died due to COVID-19 in Alaska and 246 individuals have been hospitalized. Currently, 39 people are hospitalized due to COVID-19, including three individuals considered persons 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 9,870 tests were conducted, is 2.04%. To date, 403,413 tests have been conducted in Alaska. Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough conducted 676 tests and saw a .15% positivity rate, according to DHSS’ Coronavirus Response Hub.
Locally, Central Peninsula Hospital has conducted 5,091 tests with 116 positive, 4,909 negative and 62 pending results as of Monday. Additionally, South Peninsula Hospital has conducted 8,430 tests with 113 positive, 8,162 negative and 131 pending results as of Monday. Statewide, 2,168 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.
