Alaska finished the week by reporting 411 new COVID-19 cases in the state on Friday and another 378 on Saturday. In total, 2,055 new cases were reported in Alaska this week, an increase from last week, when the state reported 1,775 new cases for the week.
As of Jan. 9, at least 25,058 initial doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had been administered. Central Peninsula Hospital External Affairs Director Bruce Richards said Friday that CPH began administering the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to employees who were vaccinated last month. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines required two doses to be effective. Pfizer doses must be administered 21 days apart, while Moderna doses must be administered 28 days apart.
Among residents and nonresidents, the state also reported 36 new hospitalizations and five new deaths this week, for a total of 1,100 and 224, respectively. As of Saturday, there were 86 Alaska residents hospitalized with COVID-19, including five who were considered persons under investigation for the disease. Eight of the patients were on ventilators. As of Saturday, 8.8% of all hospitalizations in Alaska were COVID-related.
Over the last week, the state conducted 34,201 tests and saw a positivity rate of 4.68%. As of Saturday, the state has conducted 1,345,573 tests. During the same time period, the Kenai Peninsula Borough conducted 1,156 tests and saw a positivity rate of 2.77%. To date, the borough has conducted 56,244 tests.
There were 92 cases reported by the Kenai Peninsula Borough over the past week, including 14 reported on Friday and 28 on Saturday.
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.
This information is based on data reported by Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services between Jan. 2 and Jan. 9.
Brian Mazurek contributed to this report. Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
