Sitka reported 14 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday (8-4-21), a few more than the previous four days, but consistent with what might become a downward trend in cases reported since the beginning of August.
Younger patients continue to comprise the majority of new infections: 10 of the latest 14 cases were among people under 50; three of them were teenagers, and one was a child under 10.
One non-resident was among Wednesday’s cases.
Averaged over two weeks, the infection rate in Sitka is dropping — but there is a long way to go before the community’s alert level will be pushed off “High.” Since July 22nd, Sitka’s daily new infections have been consistently in double-digits, as the more virulent delta variant fueled the town’s biggest outbreak of the pandemic.
In order to shift down to “Moderate,” Sitka would have to have 14 or fewer new cases in two weeks — a rate of one a day or less. To return to “Low” alert, Sitka would have to have six or fewer new cases in two weeks — about one case every other day. And to drop into “Limited” alert, which Sitka experienced during the month of June, there can be no more than 3 cases over two weeks, or about one every fourth day.
As of press time this afternoon, Sitka was reporting seven new cases today (8-5-21). The city’s COVID dashboard is fully updated by 8 p.m.
Statewide in Alaska, there were 382 new coronavirus infections yesterday. The surge in the state has prompted an uptick in vaccinations — a nine-percent increase from the week of July 18 to the week of July 25, according to the Department of Health and Social Services. Alaska’s chief medical officer, Dr. Anne Zink, told reporters during a press conference this afternoon that she’s encouraged to see thousands of Alaskans getting vaccinated every week. “I think sometimes there’s a perception that this is all ended,” she said, “and it hasn’t. Vaccines are our fastest way out of this pandemic.”
