The number of cases on Tuesday continues with a trend of declining infection numbers to a peak in November and early December, leaving officials worried about the capacity of the hospital. On Monday, the daily number of cases fell in double digits for the first time since September.
Despite the declining number of cases, Alaska remains in the highest alert category based on the current per capita infection rate.
Hospitalizations have also continued to decline and are now about a third of where they were during the state peak in November and December. By Tuesday, there were 56 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the state. Another the patient was suspected of having the virus. There were five COVID-positive persons in fans.
Healthcare workers and nursing home staff and residents were the first people to receive the vaccination. In early January, the state said that adults older than 65 are now eligible, although appointment slots are limited and filled quickly.
New vaccine appointments for February will begin on Thursday afternoon on the state’s vaccination website (covidvax.alaska.gov).
The number of available appointments is determined by how much vaccine the state receives in February and is available to adults 65 and older. The new appointments begin on February 4th.
For more information on vaccinations, visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 and leave a message. According to a survey, calls will be returned within 48 hours, but some users have reported longer delays. Government officials said these calls would be answered directly starting this week.
Of the 86 cases reported Tuesday in Alaska residents, there were 20 in Anchorage plus one in Chugiak and three in Eagle River; one in Homer; one in Seward; one in Soldotna; one in Cordova; seven in Fairbanks; one in the North Pole; one in Big Lake; four in Palmer; two in Sutton-Alpine; 12 in Wasilla; one in Kotzebue; one in Haines; five in Juneau; two in Unalaska; and four in Bethel.
Among communities with a population below 1,000 that were not named to protect privacy, there was one in the Nome census area; one in the Prince of Wales and Hyder census area; 11 in the Bethel census area; and five in the Kusilvak census area.
Three cases were reported to non-residents in Unalaska.
Although people can be tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.
The state’s data does not determine whether people who are positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. According to CDC estimates, more than half of the country’s infections are transmitted by asymptomatic people.
In the past week, 3.07% of all tests completed across the country returned positive.