Alaska reported Tuesday 111 new cases of the coronavirus.
That’s just shy of the state’s record of 119 for new cases in a single day. That record was set Monday.
The 119 cases confirmed Monday include seven cases in Juneau. Five new hospitalizations were also reported by Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.
One resident and six nonresidents connected to the seafood industry tested positive for the coronavirus, City and Borough of Juneau announced. Those bring the total number of cases associated with the processing company to 40, said CBJ Emergency Operations Center head Mila Cosgrove.
“There are 33 nonresidents and 7 residents in the cluster,” Cosgrove said in a phone interview. “The original case was a resident and they believe it was from community spread. The remaining 30 were pulled out of the last broad group of testing.”
Alaska Glacier Seafoods shut down operations, isolated its workforce, and is using workers with confirmed negative tests to sanitize the processing plant. Public Health will retest all the workers soon, Cosgrove said, though the timing hasn’t been sorted out yet.
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“We have offered support for them if they need it, but they haven’t needed it,” Cosgrove said. “I think they are working as hard as they can to make sure it’s contained and make sure it doesn’t spread into the community. From what I hear from Public Health they’re doing a great job.”
CBJ has made Centennial Hall available as a quarantine facility if it’s needed, but the need hasn’t arisen yet, Cosgrove said.
“Wash your hands, wear your mask, stay six feet apart. I know we’re tired of hearing it, but this really shows why it’s important,” Cosgrove said. “Take it seriously. Collective attention remains our best weapon.”
• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or lockett@juneauempire.com.
