FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2020
Contact: Reba Lean, Public Relations Manager
Phone: 907-443-9674
Nome, Alaska – Late in the evening on Saturday, September 12, a patient tested positive for COVID-19. The test was a result of the City of Nome’s travel testing and quarantine mandate. The patient, who is a non-resident of the region, is now safely isolating.
The State of Alaska Section of Epidemiology and Public Health Nursing will continue the investigation of the patient’s case, including contact tracing. Close contacts will be directed to self-quarantine for two weeks. The origin of the virus is being classified as travel-related.
Norton Sound Health Corporation encourages all incoming travelers to the region to continue to be tested upon arrival at the Nome airport. As long as testing supplies are available, NSHC will be able to provide rapid tests for incoming travelers who should be heading into a seven-day quarantine before being tested again for COVID-19.
To help make the process smoother for travelers, NSHC has hired an Anchorage-based employee to work on-site at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and greet travelers heading to Nome. This employee will provide education and help travelers get pre-registered for expedited COVID-19 testing upon arrival in Nome. The employee has begun work and will be at the terminal to meet each outgoing flight daily.
