FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 14, 2022
Contact: Alexis Erikson, Public Relations Specialist
Phone: (907) 443-8918
82 COVID-19 Cases Identified Over Weekend
Nome, Alaska – Between Friday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 13, Norton Sound Health Corporation identified 82 new COVID-19 cases in the region. Of the new cases, there were 25 in Nome, 16 in Savoonga, nine in Teller, seven in Shishmaref, five in Gambell, four in Shaktoolik, four in Stebbins, three in Koyuk, two in Unalakleet, two in White Mountain, and one in each Little Diomede, Brevig, Elim, St. Michael, and Wales. Leadership in each community has been notified.
Since Dec. 1, 2021, NSHC has reported 2,576 cases of COVID-19. This count represents all COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the highly contagious Omicron variant outbreak. Going forward, NSHC will consistently add the latest case counts to this tally as a meaningful way to report the impacts of this latest wave of infections.
If you are sick or test positive for COVID-19, please isolate for five days (starting from the first day of symptoms, or the day of the positive test if without symptoms), followed by five days of wearing a face mask around other people. End isolation if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medicine) and your symptoms are improving.
People who tested positive do not need to test again after their isolation to be considered recovered. People who have tested positive should not retest again for 90 days unless specifically instructed to do so by their providers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend regular testing for people who are not experiencing symptoms, unless it is required by their school, workplace, or health care provider. Those who should get tested are people experiencing symptoms, people who have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, and people who are not up to date on their vaccines and are at higher risk of illness.
There are currently 203 active cases in the region: 68 in Nome, 36 in Gambell, 35 in Savoonga, 16 in Koyuk, 14 in Teller, 13 in Shishmaref, six in Shaktoolik, four in Stebbins, three in Elim, three in Unalakleet, two in White Mountain, one in Brevig, one in Diomede, and one in St. Michael.
