Additional COVID-19 cases announced, including two more Alaska seafood workers – Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

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Three more state residents have tested positive for COVID-19, as have two more out-of-state workers in Alaska’s seafood industry, according to the state Department of Health and Social Services.

The three state residents are from Anchorage, Kotzebue and the combined Bristol Bay and Lake and Peninsula boroughs respectively, bringing the state total to 402 cases of the disease.

The Kotzebue case was reported by the Maniilaq Association and tallied as a resident from the Northwest Arctic Borough in the state’s data.

The Anchorage case is a resident of the Anchorage Correctional Complex that was reported by the Department of Corrections on Tuesday but counted in Wednesday’s state data.

The case count of 402 only includes state residents. The count of nonresident workers from out of state who have tested positive in the state of Alaska is growing.

The two additional nonresident workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 brings the total to 12 out-of-state residents, seven of which are workers in the seafood industry.

Alaska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink acknowledged concern over the increase in positive cases among workers from outside the state in a statement Sunday but reassured residents that the state is taking steps to increase nonresident worker testing.

This concern has also been expressed by a local community and Native leadership in the Bristol Bay area as the region prepares for what could be an influx of possibly infected out-of-state workers.

The state also reported one new hospitalization, bringing the state’s total hospitalizations to 44. This is cumulative and does not reflect the number of Alaskans currently in hospitals. There are a total of 16 people hospitalized who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or are under investigation and awaiting results.

A total of 352 of the state’s 402 total cases have reportedly recovered, according to state health department data.

Contact staff writer Erin McGroarty at 459-7544. Follow her on Twitter: @FDNMpolitics.

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