The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reported 86 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, only one of which is on the Kenai Peninsula.
There are 84 new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska residents, according to a Thursday DHSS release, and two new nonresident cases, for a total of 4,975 Alaska resident cases and 826 nonresident cases since the novel coronavirus pandemic began. The state reported one new case in Soldotna, the only new case on the peninsula on Thursday.
The state also announced Thursday an outbreak at the McLaughlin Youth Center in Anchorage. Four staff members and 12 youth in a treatment center tested positive for the disease. The majority of the youth center cases were reported in today’s numbers, DHSS public information officer Clinton Bennett said, although several may be added at a later date.
The state reports that 1,919 Alaska residents have recovered so far, along with 190 nonresidents.
The state announced no new deaths and six new hospitalizations Thursday. So far, 213 Alaska residents have been hospitalized for confirmed cases of COVID-19, as have four nonresidents. Those numbers include people who have since died or since gotten better and been released. According to state data, there are 39 people currently being hospitalized for the illness and four people hospitalized under investigation for the illness.
In total, the state has recorded 37 deaths of Alaska residents that have been tied to COVID-19.
The new cases reported Thursday are from the followings areas of Alaska: 43 in Anchorage, one in Eagle River, one in Soldotna, 16 in Fairbanks, one in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, three in Palmer, nine in Wasilla, one in Utqiagvik, four in Juneau, one in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, one in Sitka, one in Wrangell, two in locations under investigtion.
The two nonresident cases reported Thursday are both located in Anchorage.
The peninsula now has a 406 cases, with 207 of them still active. Homer has 69 cases with 32 of those still active.
The most recent testing data published by South Peninsula Hospital on Aug. 26 shows that 7,574 total tests have been conducted at the hospital so far, with 7,374 of them coming back negative and 87 still pending. The hospital has had 113 total positive test results so far.
According to data last updated on Aug. 21, NTC Community Clinic has done 1,525 total tests so far, with 49 of them coming back positive. SVT Health & Wellness Clinic with locations in Seldovia, Homer and Anchor Point has conducted a total of 649 COVID-19 tests so far, according to data updated on Thursday. Of those, 636 have come back negative, 11 have been positive and two tests are pending.
So far in Alaska, 336,220 COVID-19 tests have been conducted, according to state data. The current turnaround time for test results from the state laboratory is listed on the data hub at 2.7 days. Alaska’s seven-day average positivity rate as of Wednesday was 2.14%.
Testing
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.
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.
Reach Megan Pacer at mpacer@homernews.com.
