For the past two weeks, Kodiak’s COVID-19 Count has been at a standstill. But Monday, there were two new reports of infection, and Tuesday another three cases were added to the list, bringing the total number reported on Kodiak Island to 69. Among the five new cases, one is a Kodiak resident, who is currently off-island. Two are travel-related. And two appear to be a case of community transmission, involving two members of the same family.
Elsa DeHart, a Kodiak public health nurse, says there’s no obvious source of transmission in those cases. It is also unclear which family member was infected first.
“The virus passes so fast and is so infectious,” DeHart said. “you can’t always pinpoint the exact person.”
DeHart says none of the five people who tested positive for the virus are critically ill. Some are showing symptoms. Others are asymptomatic.
DeHart says these cases are different from the outbreak at a remote fish processing plant last month — in which 26 infections were reported in one day, August .
“Several of our cases from Alitak, from the sound end of the Island, that went to Anchorage to isolate, were hospitalized,” DeHart said. “And one was hospitalized in the ICU, so that was pretty serious.”
With school about to start next week, DeHart says there’s heightened concern that these five new cases might be the forerunner of another outbreak, but that doesn’t appear to be the case
“We’re a little worried that something big might break loose, and it doesn’t appeared to have, so that is just a big relief for all of us,” she said.
DeHart says cases of community transmission have been rare on Kodiak Island and have been quickly contained. The majority of COVID-19 infections have involved non-residents.
Currently, four cases are classified as active locally.
A reminder: the COVID 19 testing tent is now at a new location. It was at East Elementary School and has been moved to the Bayside Fire Department on Rezanof Road.
To get a test, you will still need to get a referral from the Kodiak Area Native Association, the Kodiak Community Health Center, or from your provider. Tests at the new site are available Monday through Friday, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Here is the Kodiak Emergency Operations Center press release: