Cordova reports 4 virus cases in 1 day

Cordova Community Medical Center. (July 20, 2020) Photo by Zachary Snowdon Smith/The Cordova Times

Cordova reported four new cases of the novel coronavirus Friday, Oct. 9, pushing the city’s cumulative case count to 27. The new cases were apparently the result of gatherings that took place over the Oct. 3-4 weekend, officials said. The newly identified coronavirus-positive individuals displayed visible symptoms of the disease, according to a release by the city.

The four new cases, along with four additional cases reported Oct. 2-7, have elevated the city’s active case count to eight, of which five are Cordova residents and three are non-residents. This locally unprecedented spike in infections takes place against the backdrop of a statewide coronavirus surge that has pushed Alaska’s cumulative case count to 9,996.

Wednesday, Oct. 7, in response to the increase in local virus cases, the city raised its public health alert to level three. Under a level-three alert, the city requests greater voluntary measures to prevent virus spread, but does not mandate business closures.

In a statement announcing the new cases, health officials urged community members to avoid confined spaces and crowded settings, and to seek testing if they feel sick. COVID-19 testing is available at Ilanka Community Health Center on Mondays and Fridays from 2-3 p.m. and on Saturdays from noon-1 p.m.; and at Cordova Community Medical Center on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9-9:30 a.m. There may be a fee associated with testing. More information can be found at the city of Cordova’s online COVID-19 dashboard

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