This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, pink, cultured in the lab. (NIAID-RML via AP)

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, pink, cultured in the lab. (NIAID-RML via AP)

Juneau has first confirmed coronavirus victim, prepares screening service

City prepares screening program

Juneau has its first confirmed coronavirus case, according to City and Borough of Juneau and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

The person, an unidentified adult, is sheltering, while personnel from the Alaska Division of Public Health are interviewing those the person had come in contact with. CBJ and DHSS shared news of the case Sunday evening.

“If a positive test comes back, it goes to the state,” said CBJ City Manager Rorie Watt in a phone interview. “Public health notifies us and says you have a positive case in your community. Public health nurses contact that individual and interview them.”

The person is in isolation at home and has not been hospitalized, according to CBJ and DHSS.

Further information about the person has not been released per medical and city guidelines.

CBJ has set up a screening hotline for residents without a primary health care provider at 586-6000. A health care worker will help anyone calling to fill out a screening survey, and if they qualify for testing, they’ll schedule an appointment to do so at a drive-thru testing center being set up at the Hagevig Fire Training Center.

Bartlett Regional Hospital has also expanded its capacity to handle coronavirus victims, said Rose Lawhorne, BRH’s chief nursing officer, in a press release, including their on-site ventilators and ability to provide supplementary oxygen.

“We can use other equipment with ventilation abilities,” Lawhorne said. “We have 8 oxygen concentrators that take the regular air and concentrate the O2. They can be used as an oxygen source.”

A wing has been set up as a negative-pressure wing to prevent the spread of disease, as well as other protocols to maintain sterilization and safety. BRH also has an emergency field hospital that can be set up with 16 more isolation beds and 44 external beds.

“Identifying a specific maximum number of patients BRH can care for is difficult,” Lawhorne said. “The emergency operations plan offers direction for increasing the number of isolation beds through various strategies that we may not use under normal circumstances.”

• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757.621.1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.

More in News

A male sea otter pup, estimated at 2 weeks old, was rescued near Homer and admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center rehabilitation program on June 23, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
Seward’s SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list

Alaska Seaplane pilot Vance Tilley stands in front of the Piatus PC-12 in Klawock on June 23 during the inaugural trip of the new service between Juneau, Ketchikan and Klawock. (Photos by Gemini Waltz Media/courtesy Alaska Seaplane)
New Juneau-Ketchikan nonstop flight service launches

The flight leaves Juneau at 3:45 p.m., and the trip lasts 1 hour 25 minutes

Danial Roberts, an employee at Viking Lumber Company, looks out at lumber from a forklift in Klawock, Alaska. (Courtesy of Viking Lumber Company)
Threads of the Tongass: The future of pianos and the timber industry

Timber operators say they are in crisis and unique knowledge, products will be lost

Suicide Basin as of 10:01 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2025, taken by a U.S. Geological Survey camera at the basin entrance facing northeast, into the basin. (Screenshot from National Weather Service Juneau page)
Glacial lake outburst swells Salmon River near Hyder

The isolation of Salmon River limits the impact of flooding

Kahyl Dybdahl, left, and Bronze Chevis eat an egg sandwich breakfast before school at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
School board allocates extra state funds

More state funds available, but funding issues and federal uncertainty abound

Max Webster stands with Lemon Creek Correctional Center staff in front of new control tower on Tuesday, July 9, 2025. (Natalie Buttner / Juneau Empire)
A towering accomplishment for new Eagle Scout

Max Webster honored at Firearms Training Center Control Tower ribbon-cutting ceremony

Andy Engstrom (left) uses bitcoin to buy lemonade and cookies from business owner Denali Schijvens (right) on Saturday, July 5, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Alaska’s 1st Bitcoin conference held in Juneau

State leaders discuss integrating Bitcoin in Alaska energy, investment and universities

Most Read