Wrangell has recorded 20% of COVID cases in past 3 months

Of Wrangell’s 667 COVID-19 cases reported to state health authorities since the count started in March 2020, almost 20% — 128 infections — have been recorded in just the past three months.

That is double the statewide average, which shows about 10% of pandemic cases have been reported in the past three months.

New variants of the Coronavirus are pushing up infection rates across the United States as the nation works through its third year of the pandemic. Alaska’s seven-day case rate per 100,000 people was second highest in the nation as of last week, behind Hawaii, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Amid heavy summer tourist traffic, last week’s total in Alaska included 2,271 cases among residents and 1,052 among nonresidents, according to state Health Department statistics issued July 6. Those numbers do not include at-home tests, which have become increasingly popular and are not reported to the department.

At least a fifth of Alaska’s recently genetically sequenced cases are now caused by two relatively new and fast-spreading omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, which health officials have said appear to be among the most contagious variations of the virus yet, but have not been linked to more severe illness.

The statewide death toll in Alaska since March 2020 is 1,286, with just one death reported in Wrangell. No virus-related deaths have been reported in the state since early May.

About 65% of eligible Wrangell residents 5 years and older have been vaccinated against COVID-19, equal to the statewide average, with boosters administered to 37% of eligible Wrangell residents, according to state Health Department statistics as of July 5. Statewide, the booster rate is 29%.

SEARHC continues to offer vaccination shots, first and second boosters in Wrangell, both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, said Randi Yancey, medical office coordinator at the medical clinic. Call 907-874-7000 to schedule an appointment.

“We have received our supply of pediatric vaccines. We have the Moderna brand available for children ages 6 months to 5 years,” Yancey said last week. SEARHC held a vaccination clinic on Tuesday, “and will schedule future clinics as needed,” she said.