Numbers of residents testing positive for COVID-19 grew to 761 on Monday, June 22, with word from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services that three more people in Anchorage and one each in the North Slope Borough, Palmer and Wasilla tested positive.
Nonresident cases rose by four, including a visitor in the Wrangell-Petersburg census area and
three seafood industry workers in the Haines Borough, bringing the total number of nonresident cases to 110.
Overall this week Alaska saw 91 new cases, plus 34 new nonresident cases. While the death toll held at 12, nine more Alaskans who tested positive for the virus were hospitalized.
There are currently 258 active cases of COVID-19 in the state.
Residents recovered from the virus now total 491, including 16 newly recorded cases noted on Sunday, June 21. The number of hospitalizations stands at 62 and the death toll at 12 individuals.
To date 90,824 tests for COVID-19 have been conducted in Alaska, with the average percentage of daily positive tests for the previous three days at 0.89 percent.
DHSS officials said on Sunday, June 21, that 12 more residents and two nonresidents tested positive, the day after 21 residents and two non-residents also were confirmed to have the novel coronavirus causing a worldwide pandemic.
DHSS officials noted that most of the seafood industry cases have been identified through testing required as part of an employer’s protection plan, and the individuals were in quarantine at the time they were identified.
Two hospitalizations were added to the list on Friday, June 21, after state officials received information from Providence Transitional Care Center in Anchorage, but did not occur on that
date. Two other care center residents are among the 12 who have died.
Last week, after an employee of the Fairbanks Pioneer Home tested positive for the novel coronavirus, all residents and staff of the home were tested. Testing of residents and staff at the other Pioneer Homes is also underway. In addition to the standard practice of testing any staff and residents who have symptoms, the feasibility of testing staff every two weeks is being evaluated, state health officials said.
All Alaska Pioneer Homes have been closed to visitors since March 17.
Updates on the impact of COVID-19 are posted online daily at coronavirus-response-alaska-dhss.hub.arcgis.com.
