Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 1 death and 133 new cases reported Saturday

The state reported 133 new cases of COVID-19 and one new death on Saturday, according to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services COVID-19 dashboard.

The new death involved a Juneau woman in her 60s who died in September, according to the state health department. In total, 58 Alaskans have died with COVID-19 since the pandemic began here in March.

Saturday marked the 10th day in a row that Alaska has seen new daily case tallies exceeding 100 — the longest such streak since the start of the pandemic.

Statewide as of Saturday, 28 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized, while another 11 were awaiting test results.

The state reported 3,533 active cases among residents Saturday, an increase of four from the previous day, and 397 active cases among nonresidents. A total of 4,626 Alaskans are considered to be recovered from the virus, along with 573 nonresidents, according to state data.

It wasn’t clear how many of the people involved in the new cases reported Saturday were showing symptoms of the virus when they tested positive.

Of the 131 new cases of COVID-19 involving residents, 68 were in Anchorage; three were in Chugiak, five were in Eagle River; one was in Kenai; one was in Cordova; 20 were in Fairbanks; eight were in North Pole; one was in Delta Junction; five were in Palmer; nine were in Wasilla; four were in Utqiagvik; two were in Juneau; and one was in Sitka.

Among communities smaller than 1,000 not identified to protect confidentiality, there were two cases in the Aleutians East Borough and one in the combined Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula boroughs.

Of the two nonresident cases, one was reported in Juneau while another was in an unknown part of the state.

The state’s testing positivity rate as of Saturday was 3.74% over a seven-day rolling average, the second-highest it’s been since the start of the pandemic. Friday’s testing positivity rate, at 3.78%, was the highest.

— Morgan Krakow