The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation reported 129 new COVID-19 cases in the region from Dec. 6 to Dec. 12. YKHC also reported one new hospitalization in-region and one medevac due to the virus during this period.
This is a 14.5 percent decrease in cases from the prior week. Last week, there were 151 new cases, two hospitalizations in-region, and one medevac. The region’s test positivity rate fell by two percent, suggesting that fewer COVID cases are going unreported and that the decrease in cases is reflective of an overall downward trend in regional cases.
Last week, the state Department of Health and Social Services announced 1,225 new COVID-19 cases statewide. During that time, the Y-K Delta made up 10.5 percent of the state’s new cases.
Over the past week, in alphabetical order by community, YKHC announced five cases in Akiachak, 17 in Alakanuk, one in Anvik, seven in Bethel, three in Chevak, five in Emmonak, 52 in Hooper Bay, six in Kwethluk, one in Kwigillingok, one in Mertarvik, three in Napaskiak, 15 in Nunapitchuk, seven in Pilot Station and five in Tununak.
Dec.17 marks one year since COVID-19 vaccines became available in the Y-K Delta. To date, 72-point-five percent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated against the virus, according to state data. This is a three and a half percent increase in the vaccination rate of the eligible population from the previous week.
How does the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta compare to state and national trends?
The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta continues to report more COVID-19 cases on average than the state and nation. From Dec. 6 to Dec. 12 YKHC announced an average of 18.4 new COVID-19 cases each day, about three fewer cases per day than the week before. Per 100,000 people in the region, about 444.8 developed COVID-19 in the last 7 days. Over the same period of time, the state announced 175.3 new cases per 100,000 people across Alaska, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced 248 cases per 100,00 people across the U.S.
Similar to regional case rates, state cases have also decreased precipitously over the past week, by 23 percent. Meanwhile, the national case rate has increased by 13 percent over the same period of time. As of Dec. 15, the omicron variant has been detected in more than half of the states and territories of the US, including Alaska. At the time of publication, the omicron variant had not been detected in the Y-K Delta.
This variant, which has been labeled a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization is believed to be more easily transmissible than previous variants. Omicron “has over 50 mutations, but 30 of them … are occurring in the spike, which is how the virus attaches to our cells and how it gets into the cells to drop information” YKHC Public Health Director Brian Lefferts said during the the COVID Call-in show on Dec. 15.
YKHC Chief of Staff Dr. Ellen Hodges said that if cases begin to rise in the Y-K Delta again, it will be a result of the spread of the omicron variant. “If we see a rise [in cases] again, I think we can almost be certain it's probably the Omicron variant… but sequencing takes a few weeks. So the samples we're sending now we probably won't hear about until after the holidays.”
YKHC is monitoring the region’s recent cases and is working with the state to identify where omicron has spread. “We here at YK, we're doing our part. We're sending in some of our positive specimens to the state virology lab, that's where all of the … sequencing, they check the virus to see if it has the variants that would the mutations, that would be omicron. So we are sending off our positive specimens to them to check to look for Omicron,” Hodges said.
YKHC advises people to take extra precautions as the holidays approach and omicron continues to spread. “There are things that people can do for holiday get-togethers that will make things safer. And one of the things is making sure everyone who comes to a holiday gathering who's eligible is vaccinated, that's really important and boosted,” Hodges said. “I think it's sometimes hard to have that conversation with your family. But it's really important to ask, and make sure they get their booster now.”
YKHC health officials also advise taking extra precautions for religious ceremonies. “ If you can [celebrate] remotely, then that's great. That's probably the preferred method if there's a way to celebrate through Zoom with lots of people,” Lefferts said. “But if you're gathering in person, then keep those households separated from one another. Physically distance.”
Hodges added that during these ceremonies, and during any gatherings with those from outside your household, you should be masked up. “That mask needs to be over your mouth and nose. It needs to be pretty tight fitted. And the multilayer paper masks, your loop masks that you can buy on the internet, that's pretty good protection. But a tripled layer cloth mask is also pretty good protection.”
