In all, 175 Alaskans and one non-Alaskan with COVID-19 have died since the outbreak began in March. Alaska has the lowest per capita mortality rate in the country, but officials say Alaska is difficult to compare with other states due to its vast geography and vulnerable health care system.
Alaska has been increasing its daily case number over the past few weeks, ranking 14th among individuals across the country in the past seven days. The rise of new cases has reduced the reporting capacity of the health department, and the department has warned that the latest case numbers underestimate the true number of epidemics nationwide.
Climbing case numbers indicate increased hospitalization and mortality. Health officials across the state have repeatedly stressed that if cases continue to rise, they could overwhelm hospitals. Officials have stressed that this is a major concern.
As of Sunday, 130 people were hospitalized statewide at the Govt-19 hospital, and 9 more hospitals are suspected to have the virus. Overall, 13.6% of those admitted to the hospital had COVID-19.
Across the state, only 36 intensive care unit beds were available on Sunday. In the anchorage, where most of the state’s sick patients end up, only four of the 72 intensive care unit beds were available. Hospitals within the city are also over 75%, with 615 out of 500 inpatient beds.
Of the 640 cases reported Sunday in Alaska, 269 were in Anchorage, 11 in Sukiyak, 18 in Eagle River and two in Kirtwood; One at Anchor Point, one at Fritz Creek, six at Homer, nine at Kenoi, one at Nikiski, 20 at Soldotna and four at Sterling; 34 were in Kodiak; One was in Cர்டrdoba; One was in Healy; 33 were at Fairbanks and nine at the North Pole; One was at the delta junction; There were three large lakes, 33 in Palmer, 75 in Wasila, two in Willow; Three were in Nome; 13 Utkiyakwik; Eight were in June; Five were in Sitka; There were three in Scockway; One was in Unalaska; 22 were at Bethel; Two were in service, one was marked as unknown.
Of the more than 1,000 people unnamed to protect privacy, two were in the northern part of the Keno Peninsula and four in the southern part; One in the metropolis of Denali; Four at Fairbanks North Star Borough; One in the Yukon-Koyuku census area; Three in the Madanuska-Sucitna borough; Four in the northern slope metropolis; One in the northwestern Arctic metropolis; Ketchikan Gateway is one of the metropolises; One of the western census area of the Alotians; Bethel Census Area Five; One in the Dillingham census area; And 20 in the Cusilwalk census area.
Of the nine new cases, two in Anchorage, one in Eagle River, one in Kodiak, two in Fairbanks, one in Vasila and two are classified as unknown.
Although people can be tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department refers to only one person.
It is unclear how many of those who tested positive in Saturday’s results showed symptoms. The CDC estimates that one-third of those with a corona virus infection are asymptomatic.
The statewide test positive rate last week was 5.61%. Health officials said a positive rate of more than 5% would indicate widespread social outreach.