FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2021
Contact: Alexis Erikson, Public Relations Specialist
Phone: (907) 443-8918
COVID-19 Cases Identified in Shaktoolik
Nome, Alaska – On Thursday, September 16, Norton Sound Health Corporation identified four COVID-19 cases in Shaktoolik. The patients have been notified and are safely isolating.
For the second day in a row, the State of Alaska has reported the highest COVID-19 tally in a single day since the pandemic began. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services states that Alaska is experiencing one of the sharpest surges of COVID-19 in the country in the last two weeks, pushing hospital resources to their limits.
The number of cases can most likely be attributed to the highly contagious delta variant. With the state’s hospital capacity being more fragile than ever, NSHC would like to emphasize the importance of following the recommended quarantine and isolation guidelines when individuals are identified as close contacts or as COVID-19 positive.
Quarantining individuals should keep their distance from all others for 14 days since their last contact with an infectious person. Individuals in isolation must keep their distance until they are considered recovered, which is 10 days since the onset of symptoms or from the date of their positive test. These guidelines account for all individuals’ potentially contagious timeframes and ensure the virus won’t be allowed to spread further.
There are currently 44 active cases in the region: 21 are in Shaktoolik, 10 are in Unalakleet, five are in Koyuk, four are in Nome, two are in Brevig, one is in Savoonga, and one is in Teller. Village leadership in all communities have been notified.
Stay up to date by visiting the latest https://www.nortonsoundhealth.org/category/covid-19/
