20 new COVID-19 cases reported for Juneau

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reports 20 new individuals in the Juneau community – 18 residents and two nonresidents – identified with COVID-19 for August 24. There are currently four people with COVID-19 hospitalized at Bartlett Regional Hospital.

The Juneau School District reports five individuals at Riverbend Elementary who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and were infectious while in school – three were reported late on August 23 and two were reported today. COVID-19 cases related to schools are posted on the district website as they are reported (click on the green “COVID-19 Cases” block). These cases resulted in six classrooms being closed today to allow for contact tracing; four classrooms will reopen tomorrow and two classrooms are quarantined. Find more district related COVID-19 information at juneauschools.org.

As CBJ reported yesterday, COVID-19 case count updates will be different. Due to the high rate of spread and infection in Alaska from the delta variant, the state Division of Public Health is strained and unable to provide detailed information to CBJ Emergency Operations Center about COVID-19 in Juneau, but Juneau Public Health was able to report generalized case trends for the past week:

• There are 15 cases connected with one of the mines. The mine is conducting regular testing and all individuals who are positive are isolating.
• There is a cluster of cases associated with a social gathering. Everyone who attended has been contacted and it is believed they are following public health guidance.
• There are several family groups who traveled and all came back to town positive. In general, positive cases related to travel are increasing.
• There are a handful of employees right now off of several different small cruise boats who’ve tested positive. The individuals have not been in the community and are isolating on board.
• There are the nine positive cases associated with individuals experiencing homelessness and related shelters. All individuals are isolating.
• A lot of cases are coming from household spread once one person in the house is positive; most people in the household also test positive over the next week or two.

Statewide, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reports 593 new people identified with COVID-19 – 562 are residents and 31 are nonresidents. The state is also reporting 13 deaths, bringing the total number of resident deaths to 419. Alaska has had 81,097 cumulative resident cases of COVID-19 and a total of 3,770 nonresidents.

Juneau vaccine update:

• 71.1 percent of the total population of Juneau has received at least 1 dose of vaccine and 66.9 percent has completed the vaccine series.
• 91.9 percent of the population in Juneau age 65+ has received at least one dose of vaccine and 89.2 percent has completed the vaccine series.

For more information, read CBJ’s Emergency Operations Center Reports here.