The most recent case count is part of an Alaskan trend of declining infections in the past two months, after a peak in November and early December that hampered the hospital’s capacity. Hospitalizations are now less than a quarter of what they were in November and December.
As of Thursday, there were 41 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the state, including five on ventilators. Another four patients were considered to have the virus.
The COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Alaska in mid-December. As of Thursday, 149,992 people – 21% of Alaska’s total population – had received at least their first vaccine injection, according to the state’s vaccine monitoring panel. This is well above the national average of 13.6%.
Among Alaskans aged 16 and over, 27% received at least one dose of the vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for use in people aged 16 and over and Moderna has been approved for use in people aged 18 and over. At least 95,257 people received both doses of the vaccine. Alaska currently vaccinated more residents per capita than any other state, according to a national tracker.
Health professionals and employees of nursing homes and residents were the first people prioritized to receive the vaccine. Alaskans over 65 became eligible in early January, and the state further expanded the eligibility criteria this month to include educators, people aged 50 and over with a high-risk medical condition, essential frontline workers aged 50 and over and people living or working together in settings such as shelters and prisons. On Wednesday, officials said people who help people 65 and older get vaccinated are now eligible to receive the vaccine.
Those eligible to receive the vaccine can visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 to apply and confirm eligibility. The telephone line is open from 9 am to 6:30 pm on weekdays and from 9 am to 4:30 pm on weekends.
While most regions in the state have seen cases in decline, the Matanuska-Susitna region has recently seen an increase in new infections and this week overtook the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta to record the highest average rate of daily cases in the state. On Wednesday, Mat-Su saw 34.41 cases per 100,000 in the last 14 days.
Of the 149 cases reported among Alaskan residents on Thursday, there were 31 in Anchorage, two more in Chugiak, two in Eagle River and three in Girdwood; 11 in Córdoba; one in Soldotna; one in Esther; 23 in Fairbanks plus four at the North Pole; one in Delta Junction; ten in Palmer; four at Sutton-Alpine; 32 in Wasilla; one in Nome; one in Juneau; seven in Ketchikan; and 10 in Petersburg;
In communities with fewer than 1,000 unnamed people to protect privacy, there was one in the Prince of Wales and Hyder census area; two in the Bethel Census Area; and one in Dillingham.
There were also 41 cases of non-residents, including one in Anchorage, one in Fairbanks, one in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, one in Juneau, 34 in Unalaska and three in an unidentified region of the state.
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.