The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced 649 new COVID-19 cases in Alaska from Saturday through Tuesday. That includes 30 new nonresident cases and 22 on the Kenai Peninsula. Affected peninsula communities include Soldotna with eight cases, Seward with four cases, Kenai with three cases, Sterling with three cases, Kenai Peninsula Borough North with two cases, Kenai Peninsula Borough South with one case and Nikiski with one case.
The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide case total to 62,901, including 60,333 reported among residents and 2,568 reported among nonresidents.
On Tuesday, the Kenai Peninsula Borough had an average daily 14-day case rate of 6.18 cases per 100,000 people. The borough is considered to be at intermediate risk level.
The state also reported 240 new cases in Anchorage, 145 in Wasilla, 57 in Fairbanks, 31 in Palmer, 17 in Eagle River, 13 in Bethel Census Area, 13 in Valdez, 12 in North Pole, Chugiak with 10, nine in Delta Junction, seven in Juneau, six in Willow, four in Kodiak, four in Sitka, four in Talkeetna, three in Big Lake, three in Copper River Census Area, three in Ketchikan, three in Utqiagvik, two in Healy, two in Houston and one each in Aleutians West Borough, Bethel, Nome, Nome Census Area, North Slope Borough, Northwest Arctic Borough, Prince of Wales-Hyder, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area and Sutton-Alpine.
Thirty new nonresident cases were also reported, including nine in Anchorage, eight in North Slope, two in Kodiak, one in Fairbanks, one in Valdez and four with locations still under investigation.
The state also reported five new hospitalizations and no new deaths among Alaska residents, bringing statewide totals to date to 1,350 and 309, respectively. As of Tuesday, there were 34 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Alaska, including one who was considered a person under investigation for the disease. Three of the patients were on ventilators.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
