COVID-19 cases down in Arctic, but small outbreaks continue April 22nd 5:24 pm |
While case counts across the Arctic are down significantly from last year, vaccination rates have plateaued in many communities, much as they have in the rest of the state, and small flareups of cases continue in the region.
Last week, four Kiana residents tested positive for
COVID-19 with the cases attributed to traveling, according to the Maniilaq Association. The community is reporting a 53% vaccination rate for the first dose for those over 16 and 46% of the community has completed its vaccination series.
Another case was identified in Kotzebue, the community with one of the highest vaccination rates in the region at 59% for the first dose and 54% for the second dose.
Spike in Kivalina cases continues as vaccination efforts ramp up January 29th |
Health officials with the Maniilaq Association announced this week that a resident of the region had died from complications related to COVID-19 after being medevaced from a Maniilaq service area village to Anchorage for a higher level of care.
Over the last three weeks, nearly 20% of the residents of Kivalina have tested positive for COVID-19. While most of the residents have reportedly experienced mild symptoms, the rapid spread of the virus through the village has tested the community and the public health system set up to protect it.
Arctic health care workers among first to receive vaccine December 24th, 2020 |
Since COVID-19 shots arrived to the Arctic on Dec. 16, hundreds of health care workers and first responders have been vaccinated.
On the North Slope and within the Maniilaq Service area and across the state and country the phase one rollout of the two-dose shot includes vaccinating willing health care professionals, long-term care patients and first responders.
The COVID-19 vaccine in distribution is manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Dec. 11. The vaccine requires two shots, spaced apart by three weeks, and is between 90% to 95% effective in protecting against the virus, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
COVID-19 cases rise throughout Arctic December 11th, 2020 |
As the state and the nation eagerly anticipate a vaccine that could ease the danger of the COVID-19 pandemic, cases across the Arctic continue to rise. On the North Slope last weekend, more than 30 new cases were identified, mostly among residents of Utqiagvik. Last week, a backlog of cases was reported following the Thanksgiving holiday with 19 new cases reported. This week, another nine residents of the Northwest Arctic Borough were diagnosed with COVID-19.
Utqiagvik is among the hardest hit by the pandemic in the Arctic with 28 individuals from the community testing positive this week with five currently hospitalized at the Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital. The hospital s medical team has recommended that residents participate in testing, especially if they experience symptoms.