By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka added more than 60 new positive COVID cases to the dashboard Friday through Sunday, bringing the active case total to 156 cases.
The dashboard is updated 5 p.m. daily.
Sitka’s rolling case rate went to a new high of 11.71 case per day, based on the 14-day rolling average. Sitka has been on “high” alert since going above 1 case per day on July 6.
Saturday marked a new daily record with 22 positive resident cases; 21 came in on both Friday and Sunday, Another 20 had been added by press time today.
The number of “cumulative hospitalizations” went up over the weekend, to a count of 20, which is the number of patients hospitalized since the start of the pandemic more than a year ago.
SEARHC said of the 12 inpatients at the Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center on Sunday, two were COVID patients.
Contact tracing was “in process” for most of the some 80 positive tests in the last four days, including today.
Neither Juneau nor Ketchikan has started to see the uptick that Sitka has. Ketchikan’s dashboard shows the community on green or “low” alert with some 8 active cases, and 11 cases over the last 14 days. Juneau is at “minimal” risk (yellow), with 15 active cases posted.
A recent Unified Command meeting noted the increase in positive test results and the need to start following the basic precautions again, such as wearing a mask regardless of vaccination status, social distancing, and consulting a provider about the vaccine.
Incident Commander Craig Warren last week said of the most recent 60 cases, 18 were considered “breakthrough” – which is “defined as the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen in a respiratory specimen collected from a person 14 or more days after they have completed all recommended doses of a vaccine,” a Unified Command press release said.
Unified Command continued to urge vaccinations, and said there was good participation in last Friday’s clinic at Harry Race Pharmacy, and some 60 had called SEARHC about getting a shot in the last week.
The dashboard has not been updated for vaccinations in recent weeks, but the Department of Health and Social Services says 5,495 Sitkans are partially vaccinated (74 percent of the 12 and up population) and 5,150 are fully vaccinated, or 70 percent of those 12 and up. The stats are based on the 12 and up population of 7,385.
Prompted by the rise in cases, Unified Command members invited former Fire Chief Dave Miller City and Borough to record a public service announcement, for the city’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
“Right now Sitka’s numbers are super high compared to what we’ve seen... that really concerns me,” he said. He emphasized following the precautions, including maintaining six foot distances, staying home when sick, practicing hygiene, and coughing into sleeves.
“But the one big thing we can do to help each other out is to get vaccinated,” he said. “I’ve promoted vaccinations from day one, I was one of the first to get vaccinated here in town and I think it’s a great thing.
“If you don’t believe in vaccinations, you should talk to your doctors, talk to people you know who’ve been vaccinated, listen to people that really know what they’re talking about and above all get vaccinated. Those are my words to you.”
“My whole career in the fire service has been to help protect people. I would do nothing to hurt anyone. From everything I’ve read, seen, talked to ... has said vaccinating is the way to go and the way we’re going to save people.”
He noted the number of people in town who are sick, and the need to protect the community. He said both SEARHC and Harry Race Pharmacy are scheduling clinics for the public.
“Make it happen,” Miller said.
The video is at:
https://www.facebook.com/City-and-Borough-of-Sitka-357514094349794 and on Instagram at cbsitka.
Harry Race vaccination clinics are at: sitkapharmacies.com
SEARHC has a site to register for a vaccine at: covid19.searhc.org.
