FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2022
Contact: Alexis Erikson, Public Relations Specialist
Phone: (907) 443-8918
Weekend COVID-19 Cases Total 170
Nome, Alaska – From Friday through Sunday, Jan. 28-30, Norton Sound Health Corporation identified 170 new COVID-19 cases in the region. Of the new cases, there were 39 in Nome, 29 in Elim, 22 in Savoonga, 17 in Shishmaref, 17 in Brevig, 15 in Gambell, 10 in Unalakleet, 11 in Teller, seven in Stebbins, and three in St. Michael. Leadership in each community has been notified.
Individuals who test positive will be contacted by NSHC medical staff and instructed to isolate for five days, starting from the day their symptoms began or from the day they tested positive if they are not experiencing symptoms. They are considered recovered after the five days of isolation if they have not fevered for 24 hours, without the aid of fever-reducing medications. Recovered individuals should wear a face mask around others for an additional five days.
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 279 active cases in the region: 66 in Nome, 53 in Gambell, 35 in Savoonga, 27 in Shishmaref, 25 in Elim, 23 in Brevig, 18 in Unalakleet, 11 in teller, eight in Stebbins, four in Koyuk, four in Wales, three in St. Michael, one in Diomede, and one in Shaktoolik.
Stay up to date by visiting the latest https://www.nortonsoundhealth.org/category/covid-19/