COVID cases decrease

Cases continued to decline across Alaska last week, both in resident and non-resident populations. Hospitalizations had the largest drop in several months, down to 37 when recorded last Wednesday. As of last Friday, however, the Nome Census Area had the highest case rate in the state.

Press releases and updates from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alaska Department of Public Health regularly remind people that the coronavirus isn’t the only respiratory virus circulating and people should consider getting their annual flu shot at the same time as their COVID booster.

The flu had been less of an issue over the last two years as people wore masks, practiced distancing and followed other public health protocols, but if the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season is any indicator – which is often is – this could be a difficult winter for the flu and COVID, what scientists are calling a “twindemic.”

Norton Sound Health Corporation is offering flu vaccines and bivalent COVID-19 boosters. A vaccine clinic was held in Golovin shortly after the storm, and vaccines should have reached all other villages in the region by the time this paper hits the stands. In Nome, patients can call Primary Care at 907-443-3333 to schedule a “nurse-only” appointment.

Both Pfizer and Moderna have asked the FDA to authorize their bivalent boosters, which target the currently circulating Omicron subvariant BA.4/5 and the original wildtype, for vaccinating children as young as five-years old. Should that happen, the Alaska Dept. of Health expects the booster to be recommended in “early to mid-October.”

On Tuesday, September 20, Norton Sound Health Corporation identified five new cases of COVID-19 across the region. Three new cases were found in Savoonga, one new case was found in Nome and one new case was found in White Mountain. There were 22 active cases in the region: Eight in Nome, six in White Mountain, four in Savoonga, two in Shishmaref, one in Brevig and one in Teller.

On Wednesday, September 21, NSHC identified four new cases of COVID-19. Three were in Nome and one was in Savoonga. Active cases in the region remained at 22, with 10 in Nome, five in Savoonga, four in White Mountain, and one in each of Brevig, Shishmaref and Teller.

On Thursday, September 22, NSHC identified three new cases of COVID-19. Two were found in Shishmaref, and one was in Nome. Active case counts dropped to 17. Nine were in Nome, four were in Savoonga, two were in Shishmaref; Brevig and White Mountain each had one.

Over the weekend, NSHC identified four new cases, with three in Nome and one in Shishmaref. Active cases dropped to seven: Four in Nome, two in Savoonga and one in Shishmaref.

On Monday, September 26, NSHC identified five new cases in the region. Four were found in Shishmaref and one was found in Unalakleet. As of press time on Tuesday, there were 11 active cases in the region: Five in Shishmaref, three in Nome, two in Savoonga and one in Unalakleet.

Since the start of the pandemic the United States of America has had 95,872,661 officially reported cases of COVID-19 and 1,051,126 associated deaths.

Alaska has had at least 282,372 cases, 3,911 hospitalizations and 1,329 deaths. There are currently 37 people hospitalized due to COVID19 in the state.

The Nome Census Area had at least 6,523 COVID-19 cases, 48 hospitalizations and six deaths.