According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, Alaska reported 300 new infections and no deaths related to COVID-19 on Saturday.
Saturday’s score is part of a slight increase in cases over the past few days following a trend of lower cases reported in recent weeks. State health officials have expressed cautious optimism about the overall decline, but are also worried that travel-related holidays and celebrations could increase the number of cases again.
Coronavirus-related hospitalizations remain lower than in November. The number of tests completed across the country in recent weeks has also declined.
A total of 214 Alaskans and one non-resident of COVID-19 have died since the pandemic began. (Nine of the residents’ deaths were reported Friday, although only one occurred recently.) Alaska’s overall death toll per capita is among the lowest in the country, but officials say the state’s large geography and vulnerable health care system make it difficult to compare with other states.
The state was promised more than 60,000 doses when Alaska received its first consignment of COVID-19 vaccine in mid-December, and hospital workers, emergency personnel and residents and staff at long-term care facilities were given preference to receive the first doses. State officials said they would receive more than 50,000 doses this month, and announced Thursday that the next group of people eligible to receive the vaccine would include Alaskans over the age of 65, followed by ‘essential front-line workers’.
By Saturday morning, 13,772 Alaskans had been vaccinated according to the state’s vaccination screen, which has not been updated since the middle of the week. Health officials say they expect the rate of vaccine distribution to increase next month, and that the vaccine panel will also be updated more frequently soon.
Around the state, 71 Alaskans with COVID-19 have been hospitalized since Thursday, and six more are suspected to have the virus. Just over 8% of adults in Alaska hospitals have COVID-19. In Anchorage, where the sickest patients are often treated, there were only ten intensive care units out of 69 available.
Of the 298 infections reported among Alaska residents on Saturday, 92 were in Anchorage, plus 20 in Eagle River and five in Chugiak; 47 in Fairbanks plus seven in the North Pole; 21 in Wasilla and 12 in Palmer; nine in Zoldotna, five in Kenai, two in Homer, and two in Sterling; eight in Juneau; seven in Utqiagvik; five in Kodiak; five in Bethel; two in Nome; one in Kotzebue; and one in Unalaska.
Among communities smaller than 1,000 people not named for privacy protection, there were 20 in the Bethel census area; 11 in the Kusilvak census area; five in the Valdez-Cordova census area; four in the Dillingham census area; two in the southern district of Kenai Peninsula; one in the Fairbanks North Star Borough; one in the Matanuska-Susitna district; one in the Nome census area; one in the Northwest Arctic District; and one in the region of Yakutat plus Hoonah Angoon.
Two cases were also reported among non-residents in Unalaska.
Although people can be tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.
It is not clear how many people who tested positive for the virus show symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about a third of people with COVID-19 are asymptomatic.
The positive percentage of the global test from Saturday was 5.22% over an average of seven days. Health experts say anything above 5% could indicate inadequate testing and possibly widespread community transmission. The state peaked at more than 9% in mid-November.