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We re making this important information available without a subscription as a public service. But we depend on reader support to do this work. Please consider supporting independent journalism in Alaska, at just $1.99 for the first month of your subscription. Alaska on Wednesday reported 616 new COVID-19 infections and two new deaths, according to the state Department of Health and Social Services. The two deaths were of an Anchorage resident in his 60s and a Chugiak resident in his 60s, the first from that Anchorage suburb. Wednesday’s higher case count followed a dip to 284 cases reported Tuesday, the lowest in nearly two months and coming two weeks after Anchorage entered a monthlong modified version of a hunker-down aimed at bringing case counts down and protecting hospital capacity.
State data showed all three deaths involved Anchorage residents. In total, 178 Alaskans and one nonresident with COVID-19 have died since the pandemic began here in March. Alaska’s overall death rate per capita is among the lowest in the country, but officials say it’s difficult to compare Alaska to other states because of its vast geography and vulnerable health care system. By Tuesday, there were 133 people with COVID-19 hospitalized statewide and another seven people in hospitals who were suspected to have the virus. In total, 14.6% of people hospitalized in Alaska had COVID-19. Throughout the state there were 38
staffed adult intensive care unit beds left open. In Anchorage, where the state’s sickest patients often end up, only three
CASE COUNT SUMMARY, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020 CASE COUNT SUMMARY, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020
DHSS today announced three new Alaska resident deaths and 284 new people identified with COVID-19 in Alaska. 277 were residents in: Anchorage (125), Kodiak (24), Wasilla (24), Fairbanks (17), Utqiaġvik (10), Juneau (9), Kusilvak Census Area (9), North Pole (9), Palmer (8), Sitka (5), Chugiak (4), Kenai (4), Bethel (2), Bethel Census Area (2), Big Lake (2), Delta Junction (2), Eagle River (2), Homer (2), North Slope Borough (2), Valdez- Cordova Census Area (2), and one each in Bristol Bay/ Lake & Peninsula, Dillingham, Douglas, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Hooper Bay, Ketchikan, Nikiski, Nome Census Area, Seward, Skagway, Soldotna, Sterling, and Tok.
Seven new nonresident cases were identified yesterday:
Anchorage: five in seafood industry
3 deaths and 284 new COVID cases in Alaska Tuesday anchoragepress.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from anchoragepress.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Schools will start on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 but in the same manner as the first semester ended, with only students who attended school during 2nd quarter in the buildings for the first two weeks of the spring semester. Then, school buildings will open January 19 for any elementary school students who wish to return. Middle School students will be phased in over the following week and high school students will be phased in by February 1.
The plan maintains the options for students to stay at home and learn remotely. Families who signed up with E-learning correspondence school or the BEST homeschool program will be allowed to keep those options. Families can change their mode of schooling to fit their students by working with the schools. It is best to make any changes at the quarter or semester.