The first person in the region has been hospitalized in Bethel for COVID-19. The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation admitted the patient on Oct. 15.
YKHC has held patients at the hospital before medevacing them to Anchorage for advanced medical care. The COVID-19 patient admitted on Oct. 15 is the first patient to be hospitalized and not transported out, YKHC Vice President of Communications Tiffany Zulkosky wrote in an email.
YKHC Chief of Staff Dr. Ellen Hodges said that the health corporation has medevaced less than six patients with COVID-19 to Anchorage hospitals.
This initial hospitalization follows a sharp increase in positive COVID-19 cases in the region over the past two weeks. A trend that, if continued, Hodges warns could overwhelm the regional health care system.
YKHC announced 14 new COVID-19 cases on Oct. 15, raising the number of active cases in the region to 93, and total cases to 294.
