Alaska reports 536 cases of COVID-19, with no new deaths, as high levels of virus-related hospitalizations continue

Updated: 12 hours ago Posted: 12 hours ago

Alaska reported 536 cases of COVID-19 on Friday and no further deaths occurred as virus-related hospitalizations remained at a record high.

The state reported 511 new cases in residents and 25 in nonresidents, according to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services scorecard.

The number of people hospitalized with the virus remained Friday in the 1990s, according to the Alaska National Residences and Hospital Association. The state reported 142 positive COVID patients on Thursday, with 27 in ventilators. There were 151 people hospitalized with the virus during the highest period during the winter.

Hospitals say they operate at unsustainable levels due to the combination of busy summer admissions, staff shortages and the increase in COVID-19 patients with high needs. Providers report emergency waiting for hours, sporadic cancellations of elective procedures, and ICU patients competing for beds. Eligible Alaska residents are urged to get vaccinated to reduce virus-related hospital visits.

There were seven ICU beds available in Anchorage, a municipal scorecard reported Friday.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy and administration officials said Thursday they were working to speed up the licensing process for health care workers, seeking federal contracts for more workers and taking other steps to increase the number of people who can treat patients with COVID-19.

Dunleavy and other officials, at a press conference broadcast on Facebook, said vaccination remains the best solution to the ongoing crisis. But the governor stopped a step to urge vaccination and said Alaskans should talk to their doctor about vaccination “if that’s what they want to do.”

It is possible that if Alaska’s COVID-19 declaration of emergency remained active, there would be less confusion about “what is allowed and what is not allowed” to boost the health workforce now, said Jared Kosin, president and general manager of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association.

Dunleavy in mid-February allowed the statement to expire, saying he had no authority for continuous 30-day extensions. The Alaska legislature could not renew it.

Hospitals have a long list of staffing needs (nurses, certified nursing assistants and medical technicians) that require a certain level of training, Kosin said.

“We’re still waiting to see what it is and what won’t happen,” he said.

Alaska, which in January ranked first in the country for per capita vaccination, is now 33rd among the states. The state reported Friday that 60.4% of Alaska 12-year-olds and older had received at least one dose of vaccine and 54.6% were fully vaccinated.

The seven-day average test rate for the state test was 7.36%.