Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 57 new cases reported Wednesday, no new deaths

The state on Wednesday reported 57 new cases of COVID-19, according to the Department of Health and Social Services COVID-19 dashboard.

The state announced no new deaths Wednesday. Forty-five Alaskans have died with COVID-19 since the pandemic began here in March. The state’s death rate is among the lowest in the country.

Statewide as of Wednesday, 39 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 while four other hospital patients were awaiting test results, according to state data. Of Alaska’s 153 intensive care unit beds, 85 were in use statewide.

Active cases of COVID-19 among Alaska residents fell from 4,490 on Tuesday to 4,482 on Wednesday. A total of 683 active cases are currently reported among nonresidents.

Of the new cases, it wasn’t clear how many patients were showing symptoms of the virus when they tested positive.

Of the 56 new cases of COVID-19 involving residents, 23 were in Anchorage, including one in Eagle River. Ten cases were reported in Fairbanks; three in North Pole; three in Utqiagvik; two in Delta Junction; two in Kenai; two in Soldotna; two in Palmer; two in Wasilla; two in Juneau; one in Sterling; and one in an unknown region of the state.

Among communities smaller than 1,000 not identified to protect confidentiality, there was one case each in the Yakutat plus Hoonah-Angoon region, the Bethel Census Area, and Bristol Bay.

There was also one nonresident case reported in Anchorage.

The state’s testing positivity rate as of Wednesday was 2.24% over a seven-day rolling average.

-- Annie Berman