The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced Friday 128 new COVID-19 cases, of which 127 are among residents. Affected communities include Anchorage with 68 cases, Fairbanks with 22 cases, North Pole with nine cases, Juneau with six cases, Chugiak with three cases, Nome Census Area with three cases, Utqiaġvik with three cases, Bethel Census Area with two cases, Eagle River with two cases, Kotzebue with two cases and one case each in Bethel, Bristol Bay and Lake and Peninsula Boroughs combined, Delta Junction, Palmer, Soldotna, Wasilla and Yukon Koyukuk Census Area.
The nonresident case was reported in Anchorage with the visit purpose still under investigation. Five resident cases and two nonresident cases were removed from the data due to verification processes, bringing the statewide case total to 8,202, including 7,254 resident cases and 948 non-resident cases.
Locally, Southern Peninsula Hospital has completed 9,152 total tests with 114 positive, 8,806 negative and 232 pending results. Central Peninsula Hospital has completed 5,579 tests with 122 positive, 5,404 negative and 49 pending results.
The state also reported two hospitalizations and six deaths added yesterday. To date, 277 people have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 52 people have died. Of the six new deaths added to the state’s Coronavirus Response Hub, one was recent. The recent death was a male Anchorage resident in his 60s.
The five other deaths were not recent and were coded as COVID-19 deaths by the CDC’S National Center for Health Statistics, which reviews and codes all death certificates nationwide, according to DHSS.
Four of the five non-recent deaths occurred in Alaska and are all male. They include an Anchorage resident in his 60s who died in July, a Fairbanks resident in his 60s who died in August, an Anchorage resident in his 50s who died in August and a resident of the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in his 70s who died in August.
The other non-recent death occurred out of state and was a male in his 70s who listed Soldotna as his place of residence, according to DHSS.
The announcement also clarified that while most COVID-19 deaths are reported directly to DHSS by health care facilities, there are reasons why a death may not be reported, including residents who die while visiting other states.
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 11,807 tests were conducted, is 2.31%. To date, 441,332 tests have been conducted in Alaska. Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough conducted 329 tests and saw a 1.82% positivity rate, according to DHSS’ Coronavirus Response Hub.
Statewide 2,778 people have recovered from COVID-19.
The City of Seward announced two new cases of COVID-19 from local health care facilities on Friday, which will be reflected in tomorrow’s DHSS update.
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.
