Four more Alaskans have contracted the coronavirus. Three Anchorage residents and one Tok resident have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the state’s total number of cases to 387.  Nearly 90% of all COVID-19 cases are now recovered, with one more case reportedly recovered on Wednesday.  The number of recovered cases now totals 339. 

The Department of Health and Social services released the latest numbers on Thursday before noon on its Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub, which has a new look.  The state reports case data recorded from 12:00 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on May 13th.

Three of the new cases of the disease are reportedly males and one is a female. One is aged 50-59; two are aged 70-79 and one is older than 80 years-old. 

One new hospitalization from the disease was reported yesterday, bringing the total number to 39. Ten Alaskans have died from COVID-19 but there were no new deaths reported yesterday.

There were no new cases reported on Wednesday. Two new cases were reported on both Monday and Tuesday and one new case was reported on Sunday.  A total of 31,762 COVID-19 tests have been conducted.  

As the epidemiology curve in Alaska is flattening, the debate continues on both the state and national level over when to fully re-open the economy.  The state has relaxed some of its health mandates and Governor Mike Dunleavy has reduced his once daily press conferences, to three times per week. This week, Wednesday’s press conference was canceled, while Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer and Heidi Hedberg, the director of public health, traveled across the state with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Senior Medical Officer Dr. Alexander Eastman.  The small group of federal, state and Tribal health officials traveled to several communities to listen to community concerns about preventing COVID-19 from affecting the state’s fishing communities and fishing industry.  The governor’s press conference  will resume tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. and be broadcast live on social media.