Alaska finished the week by reporting 756 new COVID-19 cases on Friday and another 933 cases on Saturday, a new single-day state record that had been previously broken on Thursday. In total, 4,707 new cases were reported in Alaska this week.

The state also reported 27 new hospitalizations and 12 new deaths this week, for a total of 784 and 142, respectively. As of Saturday, there were 164 Alaska residents hospitalized with COVID-19, including 14 who were considered persons under investigation for the disease. Twenty four of the patients are on ventilators. As of Friday, 16.1% of all hospitalizations in Alaska are related to COVID-19.

As of Friday, Central Peninsula Hospital had conducted 9,467 tests with 8,845 negative, 589 positive and 29 pending results. CPH was also treating 11 patients who were COVID-19 positive, one of whom was on a ventilator. Twenty eight of CPH’s total staff of approximately 1,000 were in quarantine either because they tested positive for COVID-19 or because they were identified as a close contact. Additionally, there were eight COVID-19 positive residents at CPH’s Heritage Place Skilled Nursing facility, where 27 other patients have recovered.

As of Friday, South Peninsula Hospital had conducted 14,195 tests with 13,545 negative, 398 positive and 252 pending results.

Over the last week, the state conducted 34,461 COVID-19 tests and saw a positivity rate of 7.24%. To date, the state has conducted 1,067,231 tests. During the same time period, the Kenai Peninsula Borough conducted 1,630 tests and saw a positivity rate of 12.1%. To date, the borough has conducted 45,967 tests.

There were 402 cases reported by the Kenai Peninsula Borough over the past week, including 54 reported on Friday and 85 on Saturday.

Schools update

Students at 34 KPBSD schools continue to operate 100% remotely. The district announced on Nov. 24 that remote learning would be extended for central, southern and eastern peninsula schools through the end of the academic quarter on Dec. 18.

Cooper Landing School and Hope School also shifted from low to medium risk on Friday.

In determining whether to reopen a school to on-site learning, the district and their Medical Advisory Team analyze 14-day positive case counts, analyze the seven-day positivity trend, consult with medical providers and public health and review their school decision matrix. The district has said their medical advisory team now includes a mental health professional.

Cooper Landing School and Hope School were preventatively shifted to medium-risk level on Dec. 4 by the district in response to growing COVID-19 cases on the peninsula.

Susan B. English School, Nanwalek School, Port Graham School and Tebughna School continue to be open for on-site learning and operate at low-risk level.

During 100% remote learning, Get-It and Go meals are free for all students and can be picked up daily at school.

Operational risk levels, case incidence rates and case numbers by community are updated daily on the district’s risk levels dashboard at covid19.kpbsd.org/dashboard.

Central Peninsula — High Risk

The central peninsula, or Kenai, Nikiski, Soldotna, Sterling and “other North,” had 45 resident cases reported by the state Friday and 79 Saturday for a total of 692 cases in the last 14 days.

The central peninsula is high risk when there are 52 or more cases in the last 14 days, medium risk when there are 51 to 26 cases in the last 14 days, and low risk when there are 25 or fewer cases in the last 14 days. As of Friday, the central peninsula will need to lose 608 cases from its 14-day case count for schools to drop back into medium risk.

Central peninsula schools include Aurora Borealis Charter School, K-Beach Elementary, Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Sciences, Kenai Alternative School, Kenai Central High School, Kenai Middle School, Marathon School, Mountain View Elementary, Nikiski Middle-High School, Nikiski North Star Elementary, Redoubt Elementary, River City Academy, Skyview Middle School, Soldotna Elementary School, Soldotna High School, Soldotna Montessori Charter School, Sterling Elementary and Tustumena Elementary.

Southern Peninsula — High Risk

The southern peninsula, or Homer, Fritz Creek, Anchor Point and “other South,” had eight resident cases reported by the state Friday and four on Saturday for a total of 147 cases in the last 14 days.

The southern peninsula is at high risk when there are 20 or more cases in the last 14 days, medium risk when there are 19 to 10 cases in the last 14 days, and low risk when there are nine cases or fewer in the last 14 days. As of Friday, the southern peninsula will need to lose 151 cases from its 14-day case count for schools to drop back into medium risk.

Southern peninsula schools include Chapman School, Fireweed Academy, Homer Flex School, Homer High School, Kachemak Selo School, McNeil Canyon Elementary, Nikolaevsk School, Ninilchik School, Paul Banks Elementary, Razdolna School, Voznesenka School and West Homer Elementary.

Eastern Peninsula — High Risk

The eastern peninsula, or Seward, had one resident case reported by the state Friday and two on Saturday for a total of 33 cases in the last 14 days.

The eastern peninsula is at high risk when there are eight or more cases in the last 14 days, medium risk when there are four to seven cases in the last 14 days, and low risk when there are three or fewer cases in the last 14 days. As of Friday, the eastern peninsula will need to lose 26 cases from its 14-day case count for schools to drop back into medium risk.

Eastern peninsula schools include Moose Pass School, Seward Elementary, Seward High School and Seward Middle School.

Testing locations on the Kenai Peninsula

On the central peninsula, testing is available at Capstone Family Clinic, K-Beach Medical, Soldotna Professional Pharmacy, Central Peninsula Urgent Care, Peninsula Community Health Services, Urgent Care of Soldotna, the Kenai Public Health Center and Odyssey Family Practice. Call Kenai Public Health at 907-335-3400 for information on testing criteria for each location.

In Homer, testing is available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the lower level of South Peninsula Hospital’s Specialty Clinic as well as through SVT Health & Wellness clinics in Homer, Seldovia and Anchor Point. Call ahead at the hospital at 907-235-0235 and at the SVT clinics at 907-226-2228.

In Ninilchik, NTC Community Clinic is providing testing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The testing is only for those traveling, symptomatic, needing testing for medical procedures, or with a known exposure after seven days. Only 20 tests will be offered per day. To make an appointment to be tested at the NTC Community Clinic, call 907-567-3970.

In Seward, testing is available at Providence Seward, Seward Community Health Center, Glacier Family Medicine and North Star Health Clinic.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.

Reach reporter Brian Mazurek at bmazurek@peninsulaclarion.com.

This information is based on data reported by Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services between Nov. 28 and Dec. 5.