The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reported 465 new COVID-19 cases in Alaska on Monday, including 24 on the Kenai Peninsula. Affected peninsula communities include Soldotna with eight cases, Kenai with seven cases, “other North” with three cases, Homer with two cases, Sterling with two cases, “other South” with one case and Nikiski with one case.
Over the past week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough has conducted 1,118 tests and saw a positivity rate of 8.32%.
Locally, Central Peninsula Hospital has conducted 7,952 tests with 7,544 negative, 313 positive and 90 pending results.
The new cases bring Alaska’s statewide case total to 20,300, including 19,187 residents and 1,113 nonresidents. According to DHSS Coronavirus Response Hub, there are currently 13,055 active cases of COVID-19 in the state and 848 active cases in the Kenai Peninsula Borough.
The statewide alert level, based on the average daily case rate for the last two weeks, is high at 56.24. The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s alert level is also high at 56.91.
High risk is defined as more than 10 cases per 100,000 people, intermediate risk is five to 10 cases per 100,000 people and low risk is fewer than five cases per 100,000 people.
The state reported no new hospitalizations or deaths. To date, 482 Alaska residents have been hospitalized due to COVID-19, including 26 on the peninsula. Eighty four Alaskans have died, including four on the peninsula.
Currently, there are 125 people hospitalized in Alaska who are COVID-19 positive or who are considered persons under investigation for the disease. Nine of the patients are on ventilators.
Alaska’s daily positivity rate for the past seven days, during which 26,974 tests were conducted is 6.9%. To date, 767,997 tests have been conducted in Alaska.
In addition to the 24 cases reported on the peninsula Monday, the state also reported 211 in Anchorage, 42 in Wasilla, 36 in Fairbanks, 28 in Bethel Census Area, 14 in Bethel, 13 in Palmer, 12 in Juneau, 11 in Chevak, nine in Eagle River, nine in North Pole, seven in Chugiak, five in Bristol Bay/Lake & Peninsula boroughs, five in Ketchikan, five in Sitka, five in Utqiagvik, four in SE Fairbanks Census Area, four in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, three in Big Lake, three in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, three in Kotzebue, three in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area and one each in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Kusilvak Census Area, Nome Census Area, North Slope Borough, Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area and Willow.
Three new nonresident cases were also reported. One was reported in Anchorage and two have locations still under investigation.
Statewide 6,512 Alaska residents have recovered from COVID-19, including 431 on the Kenai Peninsula.
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 is available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the lower level of South Peninsula Hospital’s Specialty Clinic 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.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
