The death reported on Saturday involved a resident of Fairbanks, state data showed.
The number of people hospitalized with the virus has dropped slightly, from Friday to Saturday, from 82 to 79 people sick enough to need care across the state. Another five hospitalized people were waiting for the results of the tests.
In total, 223 Alaskans and a non-resident with COVID-19 have died since the pandemic hit the state in March. Alaska’s per capita mortality rate is among the lowest in the country, although the size of the state and the vulnerable health system complicate national comparisons.
Alaska recently started adding probable deaths from people with the virus, as determined by medical providers, in addition to those established by a laboratory result.
The state’s daily case count in recent weeks has plummeted since a sudden increase that lasted until November and early December. But health officials continue to express concern about the post-holiday increase in new cases, and note that the state’s alert level is still high.
The state is continuing the initial launch of the COVID-19 vaccine, but most Alaskans will not be eligible for many more months.
Vaccine appointments are made at covidvax.alaska.gov or by calling 907-646-3322, leaving a message and waiting for the return of an operator.
Of the 370 new infections reported on Saturday among Alaskan residents, there were 119 new cases in Anchorage, another 14 in Eagle River, eight in Chugiak and one in Girdwood; 51 in Fairbanks; 39 in Wasilla; 14 in Palmer; 13 at the North Pole; 11 in Kenai; nine in Soldotna; eight at Bethel; five in Kodiak; three at Seward; three in Utqiagvik; three in Ketchikan; two in Unalaska; two in Hooper Bay; one in Sterling; one in Córdoba; one in Houston; one in Nome; one in Sitka; one in Nikiski; one at Anchor Point; one in Homer; and one in Dillingham.
Among communities with fewer than 1,000 unnamed people to protect privacy, there were 15 at Northwest Arctic Borough; 11 in the Kusilvak census area; eight at Fairbanks North Star Borough; eight in the Bethel Census Area; five at North Slope Borough; two in the Matanuska-Susitna neighborhood; one in the north of the Kenai Borough Peninsula; one in the Copper River region; one in the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area; one in the Yukon-Koyukuk census area; one in the Name Census Area; one in the combined region of Yakutat and Hoonah-Angoon; and one in the Dillingham census area.
There were eight cases among non-residents reported on Saturday: one in Bethel and seven in locations that were still being determined.
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.
The statewide positive test rate on Saturday was 4.66% over an average of seven days. Health officials say anything above 5% can indicate inadequate testing and broad transmission in the community. The state reached a peak of positivity of more than 9% in November.