Alaska on Friday reports 854 cases of COVID-19 over 2 days

Alaska on Friday reported 854 cases of COVID-19 over two days — a slight uptick compared to recent days, but still part of an overall downward trend in new infections.

• The latest numbers included 843 cases among residents and another 11 among nonresidents, as well as 84 COVID-positive patients hospitalized statewide, down from 94 hospitalizations as of Wednesday.

• Cases over the last week declined by 31% compared to the week before, state data showed.

• The state now reports COVID-related deaths only on Wednesdays. Since the pandemic began, a total of 1,130 Alaskans and 33 nonresidents have died from the virus.

• Alaska’s seven-day new case rate per 100,000 is currently the fourth-highest in the nation, according to a CDC tracker. Alaska’s omicron wave began and peaked a few weeks behind other states, but is now falling.

• The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday eased its guidelines on masks to focus on hospitalization metrics as a measure for when masks are advised. According to the CDC’s updated community risk levels map, most of Alaska is currently “medium” risk, which means many healthy adults may no longer need to wear masks. More info on community levels is available on the agency’s website.

• As of Friday, 63.7% of eligible Alaskans had completed their primary vaccine series.