Alaska reports 4 COVID-19 deaths, over 800 cases and stubbornly high hospitalizations Friday

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Alaska on Friday reported 4 extra COVID-19 deaths, just over 800 new cases of the virus and one more day of excessive hospitalizations.

The deaths concerned two Anchorage males of their 50s and 70s, respectively, together with a Nome man in his 60s and a Soldotna man in his 80s or older.

Transmission of the virus seems to have plateaued considerably over the previous six to eight weeks, however case counts, hospitalizations and deaths statewide have remained stubbornly elevated, at the same time as instances across the nation have begun to fall.

Alaska’s seven-day case price stays the best amongst U.S. states, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By Friday, there have been a minimum of 220 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. In services, tons of of state-contracted well being care employees from out of state have helped relieve a number of the burden on Alaska’s hospitals. However regularly excessive counts of COVID-19 sufferers nonetheless imply strained assets, lengthy emergency room wait instances and an exhausted workforce.

[Prominent COVID-19 vaccine skeptics to meet in Anchorage this week as Alaska’s case rates top the nation]

The Meals and Drug Administration on Friday cleared low doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 for emergency use — although Alaska vaccine suppliers and pediatricians will nonetheless want to attend to start administering photographs till a minimum of subsequent week. That’s when suggestions from the federal Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention are anticipated.

Roughly 65% of Alaskans 12 and older have acquired their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, whereas 60% are thought of absolutely vaccinated.

For the reason that begin of the pandemic, 699 Alaska residents and 26 nonresidents have died with the virus.

[COVID-19 vaccines for younger children are expected next month. Here’s what that might look like in Alaska.].

About 9.17% of COVID-19 assessments returned optimistic outcomes based mostly on a seven-day rolling common Friday.

[Correction: This story has been updated to remove a reference to FDA approval of low doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for children ages 5-11; the FDA has granted emergency use authorization, not full approval.]