On July 3, YKHC was notified that an individual who resides in a YKHC service area village tested positive for COVID-19 while in Anchorage. While the individual has been out of region for over a week, per State reporting protocols, the positive case will be counted as a YK Delta case. To protect patient privacy, YKHC is not releasing the name of the service area village the individual is from.
The individual is currently self-isolating in Anchorage. Contact tracing reveals the individual was not in the YK Delta during the period of time they would have been exposed to or considered infectious for COVID-19. Therefore, follow-up testing is being managed in Anchorage and the Alaska Section of Epidemiology will work collaboratively with YKHC for local contact tracing.
This additional case emphasizes the importance of continuing to practice all known protective measures, such as: avoid all non-essential travel, opt for free COVID-19 testing upon arrival at the Bethel, Aniak, and St. Mary’s airports when arriving from out-of-region, practice regular handwashing, remain physically distant (more than six feet) from anyone who does not reside in your same household, wear a mask when in public, and frequently disinfect high-touch surfaces in your home. Although the State of Alaska has eased restrictions on travel and moved to reopen Alaska’s economy, the pandemic and the public health risks it poses is not over.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include a fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, diarrhea, and diminished sense of taste or smell. If you have these symptoms, do not go to your village clinic or to the emergency room in Bethel. Instead, call your village clinic or in Bethel call 543-6949 so a health care provider can assist you. Get the latest information on COVID-19 from YKHC at www.ykhc.org/covid-19.