Alaska reports 6 deaths, 877 cases Friday as COVID-19 hospitalizations remain near record level

Alaska on Friday reported six deaths and 877 new COVID-19 cases as virus-related hospitalizations hovered in file territory.

The most recent depend is a part of what well being officers this week have described as a possible plateau in new instances, although officers say that there’s not sufficient proof to say instances have begun declining, and that present counts are nonetheless extraordinarily elevated.

Alaska’s case fee per 100,000 during the last week stays the best within the nation, in keeping with CDC data.

The newly reported deaths concerned 5 residents, together with an Anchorage man in his 50s, an Anchorage man in his 70s, an Anchorage man in his 80s or older, a lady from the Bethel Census Space in her 80s or older and a Fairbanks lady in her 70s. The state additionally reported one other nonresident dying involving a lady in her 50s who was recognized in Wasilla.

Fairbanks Memorial Hospital individually reported two COVID-19 deaths involving sufferers there. It wasn’t instantly clear whether or not these deaths have been mirrored within the state’s information.

In complete, 673 resident deaths tied to the virus and 25 nonresident deaths have reported in Alaska since January 2020.

By Friday, there have been 225 individuals hospitalized with the virus round Alaska — just under a new record of 235 set Thursday. Earlier than this week, the earlier hospitalizations file was 223 on Sept. 25.

Directors say COVID-19 hospitalizations will probably stay at excessive ranges throughout a lot of the state for not less than the following few weeks. Hospitalizations are thought-about a lagging indicator, which signifies that declines in instances will take just a few weeks to be mirrored in hospitals.

“I simply hope all of us notice that we’re not out of this factor but,” Jared Kosin, president and CEO of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Residence Affiliation, mentioned Friday.

In Mat-Su, almost half of all hospital sufferers have been sickened with COVID-19, and nil ICU beds remained accessible, state data confirmed. Within the Fairbanks North Star Borough, a 3rd of all hospital sufferers had COVID-19, and three ICU beds remained open.

After months of extended stress on the state’s well being care system, it’s straightforward to change into desensitized to those sorts of numbers, Kosin mentioned.

However “to handle a hospital flooring with that degree of admissions that in any other case wouldn’t be there at that quantity is unprecedented,” he mentioned. “Till we are able to clear these admissions out, and actually cease seeing sustained volumes at this ranges, our hospital system in lots of respects is compromised.”

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Disaster requirements of care are energetic at 20 well being care amenities throughout the state, and Kosin mentioned challenges persist round full ICUs, scarce assets and the occasional rationing of care. A lift from state-contracted Exterior well being care employees has helped, nevertheless it has not solved the disaster inside hospitals, Kosin mentioned.

“All people is below stress proper now,” he mentioned.

Just below 65% of Alaskans 12 and older have acquired not less than one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

During the last week, 9.89% of all COVID-19 exams got here again optimistic.