Thursday’s case count continues a sharp downward trend in infection numbers last month. Infections in Anchorage and Alaska peaked in November and early December, raising concerns about the hospital’s capacity, which prompted a December “reduction” request for the county of Anchorage.
As of Thursday, there were 56 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the state and two other patients suspected of having the virus. Seven of these patients are on ventilators and 6.1% of all hospital patients tested positive for COVID-19. Hospitalizations are now less than half where they were during the peak in November and December.
Vaccines arrived in the state in December and by Thursday at least 67,173 people received their first dose, according to the state’s vaccine monitoring panel. At least 14,663 people received the second dose. Alaska currently vaccinated more residents per capita than any other state, according to a national tracker.
Health professionals, nursing home workers and residents were the first group to receive vaccines. Earlier this month, the state opened vaccines for adults over 65, although appointments are limited and filled quickly.
For more information on vaccination appointments, visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 and leave a message. A recording says that calls will be returned in the order they were received within 48 hours, but some users have reported longer delays.
Of the 202 cases reported in Alaskan residents on Thursday, there were 40 in Anchorage, another 11 in Eagle River and one in Girdwood; 22 in Fairbanks; 18 in Wasilla; 15 in Juneau; nine in Palmer; eight in Kenai; eight at Bethel; seven at the North Pole; six in Unalaska; three at Anchor Point; three in Kodiak; two at Seward; two at Sutton-Alpine; two in Douglas; two in Ketchikan; one in Soldotna; one in Homer; one in Tok; and one in Sitka.
Among communities with populations under 1,000 unidentified to protect privacy, there were 30 in the Kusilvak census area; three in the Bethel Census Area; one in the south of the Kenai Borough Peninsula; one in the Yukon-Koyukuk census area; one in the Matanuska-Susitna neighborhood; one in the Northwest Arctic; one in the East Aleutian Census Area; and one in the Dillingham census area.
A non-resident in an unidentified region of the state also tested positive for the virus.
Although people can be tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.
State data does not specify whether people who test positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. More than half of the country’s infections are transmitted by asymptomatic people, according to CDC estimates.
Last week, 3.53% of all tests completed across the state were positive.