Juneau now has its first confirmed case of the COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. State and local officials announced it Sunday evening.
According to a city news release, it’s an adult who is isolating at home. It’s unknown if it’s travel-related.
The city and the state Division of Public Health will investigate and reach out to the patient’s contacts.
The state announced ten new cases on Sunday. That figure includes new cases in Anchorage, and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough’s first two.
State officials now say community transmission appears to be taking place in Anchorage. At least two of the seven new cases announced in Anchorage are people who don’t appear to have had contact with previously known cases.
One of the Anchorage cases is travel-related, officials said. The others are still being investigated.
“The Section of Epidemiology is continuing to investigate these cases in cooperation with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the Anchorage Health Department and local public health nurses,” the release said.
All 10 new cases were in adults, and none were hospitalized, according to the release. Officials say the patients are self-isolating at home.
A few hours before the announcement, Juneau officials ordered many travelers arriving in the state capital to quarantine for 14 days.
Thirty-two cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Alaska across eight communities; Anchorage, Fairbanks, Ketchikan, Seward, Sterling, Soldotna, Juneau and the Mat-Su Borough.
If you or someone you know has symptoms consistent with COVID-19 — including cough, fever and shortness of breath — call your health care provider first to determine whether you should be screened before visiting.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
