Alaska Department of Health & Social Services Weekly Case Update
December 13–19, 2020

Please note that last week's case analysis was delayed due to efforts related to the first week of COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Alaska.

Brief status report

• The daily growth rate of viral transmission in Alaska reversed from 0.26% to -0.57% over the past week.
• Every Alaskan who chooses to wear a mask, stay 6 feet from others, and avoid indoor gatherings contributes to the response effort.
• The statewide effort to provide every Alaskan with the option of receiving a vaccine as soon as supply allows continues. A second vaccine for COVID-19 received FDA emergency use authorization.
• Hospital capacity and staffing remain concerning.
• Alaskans should get tested immediately at the first sign of any symptoms. Tests work best when obtained promptly after symptoms start. Testing early can help Alaskans know they are positive quickly and to take precautions to minimize the risk of transmitting the virus to others.
• Most Alaskans get COVID-19 from a friend, family member, or coworker. Many Alaskans who are diagnosed with COVID-19 report that they went to social gatherings, community events, church services and other social venues while they were contagious but before they knew they had the virus. Alaskans should avoid indoor gatherings with non-household members, avoid crowds, wear masks when around non-household members, and stay 6 feet from anyone not in their household.
• As cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to increase across the United States, the safest way to celebrate the winter holidays is to celebrate at home with the people you live with. Gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu

Case trends and predictions

• 2,645 new cases were reported in Alaskans last week, reflecting continued high-level community transmission throughout much of Alaska.
• New cases decreased compared to last week, and case rates decreased across all regions of Alaska. However, all regions of Alaska other than the Southern Southeast Region continue to have high community transmission and are at a high alert level.
• The estimated daily growth rate as of December 20, 2020 is -0.57% and new cases are expected to halve every 121 days based on current modeling. This is the first week in more than two months in which the number of new cases is expected to decline.

Vaccines status update

• The State of Alaska is working with federal, local, Tribal, and military partners to ensure that infrastructure is in place for distribution of vaccine as soon as it is available.
• A limited amount of vaccine is currently available with more expected to be delivered in the coming weeks and months. As of December 21, 5,674 COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in the State of Alaska. A tracker is available online.
• There are no plans to mandate a vaccine at the state level.
• The national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is responsible for providing national recommendations for vaccine administration and allocation.

New cases, hospitalizations and deaths

• During the week of December 13–19, 2,645 new cases in Alaskans were reported, a 35% decrease from last week, for a total of 42,4213 cumulative cases in Alaskans.
• Cumulative hospitalizations increased to 917 with 13 reported as occurring this week. Hospitalization reports often lag and only 889 hospitalizations were reported at this time last week, so there are 73 hospitalizations newly reported this week including ones that began during previous weeks.
• Deaths among Alaska residents increased by 5 to 183 total. All 5 deaths occurred prior to this past week. It is common to take more than a week for a death to be reported, and more deaths of Alaskans with COVID-19 occurring Dec 13–19 may be reported in future.
• There were 38 new nonresident cases identified this week, for a total of 1,458.

Cases by Week Reported and Age Group

Regional case trends

*Note: case rates for Nov 29–Dec 12 reflect two-week case rates through Dec 14

Health care capacity

• On December 20, 109 Alaskans with confirmed COVID-19 were hospitalized. 13 were reported to be requiring a mechanical ventilator.
• Hospital staffing can change quickly, particularly if a community has many health workers impacted by COVID-19.

Further information

• The Frequently Asked Questions webpage is often the quickest route to an answer regarding testing, travel, health mandates and other COVID-19 information.
• Please see the State of Alaska COVID-19 information page for more information about the virus and how individuals and businesses can protect themselves and others from transmission.
• For the most up-to-date case information, see the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub dashboard. Some data may change as more information comes to light through contact tracing and other public health work.
• For questions regarding DHSS COVID response, including mandates and alerts, email covidquestions@alaska.gov.
• For DHSS media inquiries, please contact clinton.bennett@alaska.gov.