Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 320 new cases reported Sunday, no new deaths

Alaska on Sunday reported 320 new COVID-19 cases, according to the Department of Health and Social Services.

There were no virus-related deaths reported on the state dashboard Sunday. In total, 199 Alaskans and one nonresident with COVID-19 have died since the pandemic began here in March. Alaska’s overall death rate per capita is among the lowest in the country, but officials say the state’s vast geography and vulnerable health care system make it difficult to compare with other states.

The cases reported Sunday fall in line with a trend of lower case numbers reported in recent weeks. This trend comes after the state saw an unprecedented high number of infections during November and early December. The earlier surge in cases translated to increased deaths and hospitalizations across the state. Half of Alaska’s virus deaths were reported in the last six weeks.

Health officials at the time expressed grave concern about hospital capacity and staffing, which ultimately prompted Anchorage Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson to impose a monthlong hunker down to limit the spread of the virus.

[Here’s what to expect as Alaska continues to roll out COVID-19 vaccines this week]

By Sunday, 67 Alaskans with COVID-19 were hospitalized and another four were suspected to have the virus. Nearly 8% of people in Alaska hospitals have COVID-19.

Hospitalizations have decreased statewide within the last few weeks. In Anchorage, where the sickest patients are often treated, the hospitals are still more than 75% full, however. On Sunday, 152 beds were available out of 618 total in the municipality. There were 21 intensive care unit beds available out of 71.

Officials urged everyone to avoid holiday gatherings this season and limit celebrations to members of their household. Hospitals are able to handle the current number of patients, but health officials this week said hospitals continue to be strained and case counts need to continue to drop in order to reduce that pressure.

[An Anchorage nurse began her career just as the pandemic reached Alaska. ‘I had no idea what I was getting myself into,’ she said.]

Alaska received its first shipments of the vaccine in mid-December and the state is continuing vaccination rollout efforts. Hospital health care workers, emergency personnel and residents and staff at long-term-care facilities were prioritized to receive the first doses.

Of the 308 infections reported Sunday in Alaska residents, 90 were in Anchorage, eight in Chugiak and seven in Eagle River; three were in Homer, three in Kenai, one in Nikiski, two in Seward, nine in Soldotna and two in Sterling; six were in Kodiak; 41 were in Fairbanks and 11 in North Pole; two were in Delta Junction; four were in Big Lake, one in Meadow Lakes, 28 in Palmer and 44 in Wasilla; one was in Nome; two were in Utqiagvik; two were in Juneau; one was in Skagway; two were in Unalaska; 20 were in Bethel; and one was in Chevak.

Among communities smaller than 1,000 people not named to protect privacy, there was one case in the northern portion of the Kenai Peninsula Borough; four in the Fairbanks North Star Borough; one in the Aleutians West Census Area; 10 in the Bethel Census Area; and one in the Kusilvak Census Area.

There were 12 cases reported in nonresidents, including seven in Anchorage, one in Unalaska and four in unspecified portions of the state.

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

It is not clear how many of the people who tested positive for the virus were showing symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about a third of people with COVID-19 are asymptomatic.

The statewide test positivity rate as of Sunday was 4.5% over a 7-day average. Health experts say anything above 5% can indicate inadequate testing and potentially widespread community transmission. The state reached a peak of over 9% test positivity in mid-November.

- Tess Williams