Alaska’s COVID case rate ranks among highest in country – Alaska Public Media

The state well being division on Wednesday reported 1,526 COVID-19 instances recorded over the prior seven days.

That’s an 18% improve in comparison with the week earlier than. Alaska’s seven-day case fee is the fourth-highest within the nation, based on the CDC. The information doesn’t embody at-home checks.

The state on Wednesday additionally reported 13 deaths. They included a lady in her 30s from Wasilla, a person from Anchorage in his 50s and a lady from Fairbanks in her 60s.

Twenty COVID sufferers are presently hospitalized, and 5 of them are on ventilators. Lower than 2% of all hospitalized sufferers have COVID.

The well being division’s variant dashboard reveals greater than 80% of instances are the BA.2 omicron variant.

At a public well being presentation final week, chief medical officer Dr. Anne Zink stated as masks necessities and different well being mandates go away, it’s vital to know private threat elements. She says age continues to be the most important threat issue, adopted by issues like kidney illness or bodily inactivity.

“So should you’re that tremendous wholesome 70-year-old runner who’s chopping wooden on daily basis, good for you, ensure you proceed to remain bodily lively and mentally nicely,” she stated. “However should you get COVID-19, search therapy since you’re the one who’s actually going to profit from it.”

The division’s group case charges map reveals sure areas of the state the place the seven-day case fee is particularly excessive. They embody Nome, the Northwest Arctic Borough, Dillingham and the Southeast communities of Petersburg, Wrangell and Sitka.