Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 385 cases and 10 deaths reported since Friday
Alaska reported 385 coronavirus infections Saturday through Monday and 10 new deaths related to COVID-19, according to the state Department of Health and Social Services. The state no longer updates its coronavirus dashboard on the weekends, and instead includes that data in Monday’s report.
The latest three-day count continues a trend in Alaska of declining infections over the last three months. Hospitalizations are now far below what they were during a peak in November and December that strained hospital capacity.
By Monday, there were 22 people with COVID-19 in hospitals throughout the state, including five on ventilators. Another three patients were believed to be infected with the virus.
The COVID-19 vaccine reached Alaska in mid-December. By Monday, 155,951 people — about 21% of Alaska’s total population — had received at least their first vaccine shot, according to the state’s vaccine monitoring dashboard. That’s far above the national average of 15%.
Among Alaskans 16 and older, nearly 28% had received at least one dose of vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for use for people ages 16 and older, and Moderna’s has been cleared for use in people 18 and older. At least 103,668 people had received both doses of the vaccine. Alaska has currently vaccinated more residents per capita than any other state, according to a national tracker.
Health care workers and nursing home staff and residents were the first people prioritized to receive the vaccine. Alaskans older than 65 became eligible in early January, and the state further widened eligibility criteria in February to include educators, people 50 and older with a high-risk medical condition, front-line essential workers 50 and older and people living or working in congregate settings like shelters and prisons.
Last week, officials said people who help Alaskans 65 and older get a vaccination are now eligible to get a vaccine.
Those eligible to receive the vaccine can visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 to sign up and to confirm eligibility. The phone line is staffed 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends.
In Anchorage, Alaskans 40 and older can now get vaccinated through Southcentral Foundation, the health care organization announced Monday.
Despite the lower case numbers, most regions in Alaska are still in the highest alert category based on the current per capita rate of infection, and public health officials continue to encourage Alaskans to keep up with personal virus mitigation efforts like hand-washing, mask-wearing and social distancing. A highly contagious U.K. variant of the virus reached Alaska in December, while a separate variant that originated from Brazil was found in the state last month. Scientists in Alaska on Wednesday announced the discovery of 10 cases of a new coronavirus strain first discovered in California.
While people might get tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.
The state’s data doesn’t specify whether people testing positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. More than half of the nation’s infections are transmitted from asymptomatic people, according to CDC estimates.
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