Alaska on Wednesday reported 830 instances of COVID-19, eight deaths and greater than 200 virus-related hospitalizations statewide.
State well being officers say that the most recent counts mirror a comparatively flat pattern in new COVID-19 instances in current days — however they’re nonetheless not seeing a big lower in instances or hospitalizations throughout the state simply but.
“We proceed to have about 5 instances the nationwide common within the variety of instances per 100,000,” Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer, mentioned on a public name Wednesday afternoon. She described the state’s current case pattern as “flat-ish.”
In hospitals, “the scenario continues to be simply as severe and pressure-filled because it has been,” mentioned Jared Kosin, president and CEO of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing House Affiliation, on Wednesday.
There are presently no less than 205 folks hospitalized with the virus across the state, together with 29 on ventilators. These excessive numbers signify a continued, substantial burden on hospitals in Alaska, 20 of which activated crisis standards of care last month, although the scenario varies extensively from facility to facility.
“We’re nonetheless seeing these conditions the place it’s difficult for mattress placements, we’re nonetheless seeing our ICUs extraordinarily busy,” Kosin mentioned. “I believe we’re extra accustomed to coping with it now that it’s been ongoing at this stage for a number of weeks, and now that we have now reduction employees. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless extraordinarily demanding.”
Regardless of the continued challenges in hospitals, an influx of state-contracted health workers from the Decrease 48 has helped with morale and helped meet demand, based on Kosin.
In the course of the newest surge, hospital staffing has posed probably the most vital challenges, and having a whole bunch extra well being care staff obtainable to employees beds has elevated capability at services, he mentioned.
“Nevertheless it doesn’t imply that the stress on the system has softened,” he mentioned. “I don’t suppose we’re going to see hospital operations normalize for no less than a number of weeks, simply because we’re working at such an intense stage proper now.”
After the state on Tuesday recorded an additional 66 COVID-19 deaths that principally occurred in September, one other eight deaths have been reported Wednesday. Of the eight, seven occurred in October, and one from Might was recognized via a normal overview of dying certificates.
Authorities companies depend on death certificates to report COVID-19 deaths. If a doctor judges {that a} COVID-19 an infection contributed to an individual’s dying, it’s included on the death certificate and ultimately counted within the state’s official toll, well being officers say.
The newly reported deaths concerned an Anchorage man in his 80s, an Anchorage girl in her 80s, an Anchorage girl in her 60s, a Juneau girl in her 50s, a Soldotna man in his 50s, a Fairbanks man in his 70s and a Fairbanks girl in her 70s, plus an Anchorage man in his 70s who died in Might.
A complete of 667 Alaska residents and 24 nonresidents have now died with the virus since January 2020. September 2021 was the deadliest month of the pandemic up to now.
By Wednesday, 64.4% of Alaskans 12 and older had obtained no less than one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
State well being officers mentioned Wednesday that Alaska youngsters as younger as 5 would principally doubtless turn into eligible to get vaccinated as quickly as subsequent month.
Alaska has preemptively been allotted 33,000 doses of Pfizer’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, which is about sufficient to vaccinate 44% of children in that age vary, mentioned Matt Bobo, immunization program director with the state well being division.
A federal advisory committee to the CDC is scheduled to fulfill the primary week of November to debate Pfizer’s utility to approve vaccine for youngsters ages 5 to 11.
“As soon as that occurs, then we will begin administering that vaccine,” Bobo mentioned.
Of all checks carried out in Alaska over the past week, roughly one in ten got here again optimistic, state data confirmed.
Epidemiologists say a positivity price over 5% is a sign of widespread transmission and never sufficient testing being achieved.
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