Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 247 cases and no new deaths reported over last 2 days

Alaska on Wednesday reported 247 new coronavirus infections identified over two days and no new COVID-19-related deaths, according to the state Department of Health and Social Services.

Since mid-June, case counts have been steadily increasing, causing Alaska to move back up to the intermediate alert level last week; Anchorage returned to a high alert level this week. Health officials continue to encourage Alaskans to get vaccinated against the virus, noting that the vaccines have been shown to be highly effective at preventing severe illness from the virus, including the more contagious variants.

The recent rise in cases can likely be attributed in part to the highly contagious delta variant first identified in India in December and in Alaska in May, health officials have said. The newer strain has been linked to higher hospitalization rates, and is considered the most transmissible variant yet.

[Another 7 COVID-19 cases tied to Southeast Alaska cruise, bringing total to 10]

In Cordova, several new cases cropped up in the past week and a half, city manager Helen Howarth said Wednesday. The 43 active cases in the city are mostly among unvaccinated adults or children too young to receive the vaccine, officials said. Case numbers shot up in the community of 2,400 year-round residents after one person traveled back to Cordova sick and engaged in community activities but did not get tested, Howarth said.

“It’s all local people, it’s our residents,” Howarth said. “It’s community spread. It’s traveling fast and furious because we’re a small town.”

The virus is spreading in family units, she said, but it has also spread to a fishing boat, the grocery store and the processing plant, as well as within a church community.

Among recent cases, one has resulted in hospitalization, according to Dr. Hannah Sanders, a local doctor who is part of the city’s response team. The percentage of tests coming back positive was 28% by Wednesday. And, Sanders noted, the outbreak has also resulted in a small uptick in vaccine interest.

[Alaska health officials are trying to boost vaccine rates, and eyeing incentives, as concerns about delta variant loom]

Hospitalizations have continued to rise statewide. By Wednesday, state data showed there were 50 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 hospitalized around the state. In the second half of June, that number hovered between 10 and 19.

In total, 374 Alaskans and seven nonresidents with COVID-19 have died since the pandemic reached the state last spring.

Alaska’s death rate per capita remains among the lowest in the country, though the state’s size, health care system and other factors complicate national comparisons.

By Wednesday, roughly 56% of the state’s population age 12 and older had received at least their first dose of the vaccine while 51% of all residents 12 and older were considered fully vaccinated. Among all states, Alaska ranked No. 29 in the country for most vaccinated residents per capita.

Of the 235 new resident cases reported, there were 115 in Anchorage; 29 in Sitka; 11 in Palmer; 10 in Wasilla; nine in Hooper Bay; eight in Cordova; seven in Kenai; six in Chugiak; five in Homer; five in Ketchikan; five in Soldotna; four in Eagle River; two in Fairbanks; two in Nome; two in Tok; and two in Unalaska, as well as one case each in Chevak, Girdwood, Juneau, Petersburg and Wrangell.

Among smaller communities, there were three in the northern Kenai Peninsula Borough; two in the Mat-Su Borough; one in the southern Kenai Peninsula Borough; one in the Bethel Census Area; and one in the Kusilvak Census Area.

There were also 12 new nonresident cases identified: three in Anchorage, two in Juneau, one in Petersburg, one in Tok, one in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area and four in unlisted locations.

Of all the coronavirus tests completed in the state over the last week, 2.67% came back positive.

Note: The health department now updates its coronavirus dashboard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays excluding holidays.

— Morgan Krakow