Alaska’s per capita mortality rate is still among the lowest in the country, but the size of the state and the vulnerable health system complicate national comparisons.
Coronavirus cases have been steadily declining in recent months, following an outbreak of infections in November and early December that hampered the hospital’s capacity.
Alaskan hospitalizations have declined along with the cases, and are now less than a quarter of what they were during the peak in November and December.
As of Thursday, there were 33 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the state, including three who used ventilators. Another four patients were suspected of having the virus.
The COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Alaska in mid-December. On Thursday, 133,221 people – nearly 18% of Alaska’s total population – received at least their first vaccine injection, according to the state’s vaccine monitoring panel. This is well above the national average of 12.1%.
About 1 in 4 Alaskans aged 16 and older received at least one dose of the vaccine by Thursday. The Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for use by people aged 16 and over, and Moderna has been approved for use by people aged 18 and over.
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 last week to include educators, people aged 50 and over with a high-risk medical condition, essential health workers. people aged 50 or over and people living or working together in settings such as shelters and prisons.
Those eligible to receive the vaccine can visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 – the number works from 9am to 6:30 pm during the week and 9am to 4:30 pm on weekends – to apply and confirm eligibility.
Despite the lower case numbers, public health officials continue to encourage Alaskans to follow up on personal virus mitigation efforts, such as washing hands, wearing a mask and socializing. A highly contagious variant of the virus arrived in Alaska in December.
Of the 209 cases reported among Alaskan residents on Thursday, there were 47 in Anchorage, two more in Chugiak, nine in Eagle River and one in Girdwood; three in Kenai; one in Nikiski; two at Seward; two in Soldotna; one in Healy; 16 in Fairbanks; six at the North Pole; one in Tok; four on Big Lake; 20 in Palmer; two at Sutton-Alpine; 57 in Wasilla; one in Utqiagvik; 10 in Ketchikan; one in Petersburg; and one in Sitka.
Among communities with populations under 1,000 unidentified to protect privacy, there were two at Fairbanks North Star Borough; one in the Yukon-Koyukuk census area; one in the Name Census Area; 15 in the Bethel Census Area; and three in the Kusilvak census area.
Four cases were also identified among non-residents in the eastern neighborhood of Aleutas.
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.
Of the 24,884 tests performed in the last seven days, 2.27% were positive.