Alaska Gov. Dunleavy says he’s recovering from COVID-19

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has said he is feeling better after contracting the coronavirus last month.

Dunleavy said Friday that while his voice still gets slightly hoarse if he talks for too long, his other symptoms are now mild.

He said he had a bad headache, fever, chills and body aches for a several days. Dunleavy was scheduled to finish his isolation period Saturday.

[Additional COVID-19 cases confirmed in Alaska Capitol, but legislative leaders say work will go on]

There have been more than 56,000 coronavirus cases and 301 virus-related deaths in Alaska as of last Friday, according to data from the state Department of Health and Social Services.

The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.

The coronavirus has killed more than 500,000 people in the U.S. since the pandemic began last year.

Dunleavy, a Republican, said his experience with the virus has not changed much regarding how he thinks the state should respond to the pandemic.

He encouraged people without allergies to receive vaccines to mitigate the spread of the virus, Alaska Public Media reported.

“If you get the virus, you’re out of commission for 14 days,” Dunleavy said. “You don’t want to spread this to others - you don’t want to be part of that. If you get the vaccination - after your first shot, you’ve got a pretty good dose of immunity for the most part, if everything works out. And then, you don’t have to end up under house arrest.”