More than half of residents’ cases were confirmed in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, which has one of the highest infection rates in the state for the past two weeks.
The number of cases and hospital admissions in Alaska remains well below their peak levels in November and December. However, Alaska is now experiencing a slight increase in the average daily number of cases compared to recent weeks. Many regions in the state are still in the highest alert category based on their current per capita infection rate.
Alaska became the first state in the country this month to qualify for the vaccine for anyone 16 and older living or working in the state. You can visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 to sign up for a vaccination appointment; new appointments are regularly added. The telephone line is manned from 9:00 am to 6:30 pm on weekdays and from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm on weekends.
By Friday, 226,884 people – including more than 39% of Alaskans eligible for an injection – had received at least their first dose, according to the state’s vaccine surveillance dashboard. At least 155,264 people – about 27% of Alaska’s residents ages 16 and older – were considered fully vaccinated.
On Friday, there were 27 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the state, well below a peak in late 2020. Test results were pending in three more patients.
Of the 179 cases identified among Alaskans on Friday, 49 were in Anchorage and six in Eagle River; 61 in Wasilla; 27 in Palmer; five in Delta Junction; four in Big Lake; four in Healy; two in Valdez; two in Kenai; two in Fairbanks; two at the North Pole; two in Sitka; one in Houston; one in Sutton-Alpine; one in Juneau; one in Unalaska; and one at Bethel.
Among communities of less than 1,000 residents not listed to protect privacy, there were three in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, one in the Copper River Census Area, and two in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.
There were also four non-resident cases: two in Kodiak and two in indeterminate parts of the state.
While people can be tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.
The state’s data does not specify whether people who test positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. The CDC estimates that more than half of infections in the country are transmitted by asymptomatic people.
The average percentage of daily positive tests in the past week was 2.68%.