Update, 6 p.m. Wednesday: State officials announced 17 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alaska since Tuesday evening, bringing the state’s total to 59. Read the latest updates here.
Original story:
A Tanana Chiefs Conference patient has tested positive for COVID-19 in Fairbanks, the organization said.
The person was tested at the Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center on Friday and the case was confirmed Wednesday, the conference said in an online statement. The person is quarantining in their Fairbanks home.
The Alaska Department of Health will be tracing the infected person’s contacts, and anyone who had face-to-face contact with the patient will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
“We have been expecting that a TCC patient would test positive based upon the fast growing numbers of positive cases across the state, as well as seeing an increase of patients who are seeking care for fever and respiratory symptoms and who are receiving testing,” said Jacoline Bergstrom, executive director of Health Services.
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It’s the 44th positive test result in Alaska so far and the 10th in the Interior.
On Tuesday night, a joint statement from the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, City of Ketchikan and City of Saxman announced a new confirmed case in Ketchikan, bringing the total number of confirmed cases there to nine. Local officials said the individual self-quarantined after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
Officials have strongly urged Ketchikan residents to shelter in place under an emergency mayoral proclamation.
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