Update: Statewide COVID-19 infections reach 52,222

An electron micrograph of cells infected with novel coronavirus particles. (Jan. 14, 2021) Image courtesy of NIAID

Updated 6:70 p.m., Jan. 19

Infections of the novel coronavirus in Alaska have reached 52,222, with 130 new cases and one new death confirmed on Tuesday, Jan. 19, by state health officials.

The new case count includes no new cases in Cordova or the Valdez-Cordova Census Area.

To date, 50,572 residents and 1,650 nonresidents have been infected by COVID-19, with 229 residents and one nonresident having succumbed to the virus.

The most recent person to succumb to COVID-19 was a Fairbanks man in his 60s.

There has been a total of 1,162 hospitalizations. According to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services dashboard 58 people currently hospitalized are confirmed to be COVID positive, plus three additional patients whose conditions are under investigation. Nine of these patients were on ventilators. These numbers are updated, with corrections, daily at covid19.alaska.gov.

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New resident cases of the virus on the DHSS data dashboard as of Jan. 16 included:

  • Anchorage, 29
  • Wasilla, 21
  • Bethel Census Area, Kusilvak, 14
  • Ethel, 12
  • Kodiak, Northwest Arctic Borough, 5
  • Fairbanks, Palmer, Willow, 3
  • Knik-Fairview, North Pole, Unalaska, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, 2
  • Big Lake, Chugiak, Homer, Kenai, Sitka, Soldotna, Sterling and Utqiagvik, 1.

Five new nonresident cases were also identified include two in Anchorage, plus one each from Fairbanks, Nome and an undisclosed location.

One nonresident case was subtracted from the DHSS data dashboard through data verification.

The current alert level, based on the average daily case rate over 14 days per 100,000, is high at 35.33 cases per 100,000. Most regions of Alaska are in high alert status with widespread community transmission.

DHSS has continued to encourage residents to keep checking on the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in their area. Many residents have found that the sign-up websites were not working properly and/or that the number of people attempting to register for appointments exceeds the available supply for January. DHSS is providing updated information as it becomes available on registering for COVID vaccine appointments.

A total of 1,414,531 tests for COVID-19 have been conducted in Alaska to date, including 29,641 tests in the previous seven days. The average percentage of daily positive tests for the previous seven days is 3.57 percent.

To date 56,869 shots of the first dose and 12,178 shots of the second dose of COVID vaccine have been given in Alaska, according to DHSS. 

DHSS notes that even after being vaccinated people should practice COVID-19 protective measures, including masking, social distancing and hand washing.

Statewide updates are provided daily by state health officials Alaska’s COVID-19 dashboard at covid19.alaska.gov.

The DHSS daily report reflects data from midnight to 11:59 p.m., which is posted at noon daily on the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub.

Updates on the impact of COVID-19 are posted daily at coronavirus-response-alaska-dhss.hub.arcgis.com.

For Cordova updates, visit the city’s COVID-19 dashboard here.

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