Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 411 infections and no new deaths reported Friday

Alaska on Friday reported 411 new COVID-19 infections and no coronavirus-related deaths, according to data from the state Department of Health and Human Services.

The number of people hospitalized with the virus fell slightly from Thursday to Friday from 84 to 82 people sick enough to require ICU care statewide. Another four hospitalized people were awaiting test results.

In total, 222 Alaskans and one nonresident with COVID-19 have died since the pandemic reached the state in March. Alaska’s death rate per capita is among the lowest in the country, though the state’s size and vulnerable health care system complicate national comparisons.

Alaska recently started adding in probable deaths of people with the virus as determined by medical providers in addition to those established by a lab result.

The state’s daily case counts in recent weeks have fallen precipitously since a surge that lasted through November and into early December. But health officials continue to express concern about a post-holiday spike in new cases, and note that the state’s alert level is still high.

At a media briefing on Thursday, Dr. Joe McLaughlin, the state’s top epidemiologist, noted that the rate of decline in cases appears to have slowed this week.

“In the last few days, we have started to see case counts bump back up a little bit,” he said, noting recent counts in the 300s. “So I just want to really encourage people to continue to remain vigilant.”

The state is continuing its early rollout of COVID-19 vaccine, but most Alaskans won’t be eligible for many more months.

[Anchorage school nurses deployed at what unexpectedly became the city’s first large-scale vaccination effort for seniors]

At least 20,775 people in Alaska have received a dose of vaccine, according to the state’s vaccine dashboard, which was last updated on Wednesday. Health care workers and adults 65 and older are now able to make appointments for a vaccination, though appointments slots are limited and filled quickly on Wednesday when they first became available to older Alaskans.

Appointment-based, large-scale vaccination clinics will be held this weekend in Anchorage at the Alaska Airlines Center and next weekend in Juneau, with more clinics coming soon, state health officials say.

Vaccine appointments are made at covidvax.alaska.gov or by calling 907-646-3322, leaving a message and waiting for a callback from an operator.

Of the 403 new infections reported Friday among Alaska residents, there were 120 new cases in Anchorage, plus three in Chugiak, eight in Eagle River and one in Girdwood; 48 in Wasilla; 38 in Fairbanks; 18 in Palmer; nine in Kodiak; eight in Bethel; six in Soldotna; six in Utqiagvik; five in Juneau; four in Kenai; four in North Pole; four in Unalaska; three in Willow; three in Sitka; two in Cordova; two in Big Lake; two in Kotzebue; one in Anchor Point; one in Nikiski; one in Seward; one in Tok; and one in Ketchikan.

Among communities smaller than 1,000 people not named to protect privacy, there were 34 in the Bethel Census Area; 17 in the Dillingham Census Area; 16 in the Kusilvak Census Area; 15 in the Northwest Arctic Borough; nine in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area; six in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area; four in the Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula area; one in the Kodiak Island Borough; one in the Fairbanks North Star Borough; and one in Yakutat plus Hoonah-Angoon region.

There were eight cases among nonresidents reported Friday: two in Anchorage, one in Seward, one in Juneau and four in an unidentified region of the state.

While people might get tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.

The state’s data doesn’t specify whether people testing positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. More than half of the nation’s infections are transmitted from asymptomatic people, according to CDC estimates.

The statewide test positivity rate as of Friday was 4.68% over a seven-day average. Health officials say anything above 5% can indicate inadequate testing and widespread community transmission. The state peaked at over 9% positivity in November.

— Annie Berman