Alaska reports 5 more COVID-19 deaths, continued high hospitalizations

Alaska on Monday reported 5 extra COVID-19 deaths, 229 hospitalizations and 1,686 extra circumstances recorded over the weekend.

The state occupied the highest spot within the nation for the best case charge Monday, with 550 circumstances per 100,000 folks over the previous week — over 4 occasions the nationwide common of 124.7 circumstances, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control.

Whereas there have been some slight ups and downs amongst case charges, hospitalizations and deaths, the state has to date continued on a stage trajectory, state epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin mentioned Monday.

“We’re not seeing at this level any clear downward development in circumstances,” he mentioned.

On Friday, there have been 529 extra circumstances recognized, with one other 800 constructive check outcomes coming in Saturday and 357 circumstances Sunday, state information confirmed Monday.

Nationally, circumstances charges are at present highest in giant, rural states like Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and North Dakota, McLaughlin mentioned. They’re all seeing comparable sustained, excessive case charges.

Over a fifth of Alaska’s hospitalized sufferers in Alaska had been COVID-positive as of Monday, persevering with a weekslong stretch of elevated virus hospitalization numbers. Excessive case counts and hospitalizations pushed 20 services statewide to activate crisis standards of care last month, although the scenario varies extensively from facility to facility and each day.

[September was Alaska’s deadliest pandemic month. Here’s what that might tell us about the future of COVID-19 in the state.]

Hospitalizations hit a document excessive as soon as once more on Friday, additional underscoring simply how full the state’s hospitals are, mentioned Jared Kosin, president and CEO of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Residence Affiliation.

Whereas hospitalizations would possibly dip a bit for a number of days, they’ve continued to bounce again up, each in Anchorage and at hospitals on the Kenai Peninsula, within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and within the Inside, Kosin mentioned.

[What’s bringing people to Anchorage’s COVID-19 vaccine clinics: Work mandates, high case counts and good timing]

An inflow of tons of of state-contracted well being staff from Outdoors has introduced some aid to hospitals coping with staffing shortages. However, Kosin mentioned, capability constraints proceed to be the identical with intensive care models in overflow and spillover standing.

“Our hospitals are nonetheless getting hit actually arduous,” he mentioned.

The 5 extra deaths reported Monday imply that to date, 678 Alaskans and 25 nonresidents have died with COVID-19 for the reason that begin of the pandemic in early 2020, state information confirmed.

Statewide, 9.21% of checks got here again constructive primarily based on a seven-day rolling common.

It is a growing story. Test again for updates.