A cluster of cases among Juneauites without secure housing is part of 17 new cases reported by City and Borough of Juneau Emergency Operation Center.
Seven of the 17 new cases are linked to other cases among Juneau’s vulnerable or unstably housed population, the city said in a news release, bringing that cluster total to 21 so far. The newly reported cases came in over the weekend and Monday, the city said Monday in a release.
Public Health attributes five of the cases to community spread, four to close contact with a known case, and eight are under investigation.
Friday, the city said Centennial Hall will serve as an additional quarantine or isolation area for housing-insecure residents.
Cumulatively, Juneau has had 339 residents test positive for COVID-19 since March and 101 nonresidents, according to city data. There are 44 active cases in Juneau and 394 people have recovered.
All people with known active cases of COVID-19 are in isolation, according to the city.
There are currently five people with COVID-19 hospitalized at Bartlett Regional Hospital, according to the city.
The local uptick in COVID-19 cases comes amid a statewide surge.
Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reported on Monday 197 new people with COVID-19 throughout the stat. Of the new cases, 191 are residents and six are nonresidents. Alaska has had 9,877 cumulative resident cases of COVID-19 and a total of 1,007 nonresidents.
Over the weekend, the state reported nearly 500 cases —232 cases on Saturday and 249 on Sunday.
So far, 60 residents have died with COVID-19 and 327 have been hospitalized.
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, breathing trouble, sore throat, muscle pain, and loss of taste or smell. Most people develop only mild symptoms. But some people, usually those with other medical complications, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia.
• Contact Ben Hohenstatt at (907)308-4895 or bhohenstatt@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BenHohenstatt.
