By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka’s positive test numbers for the coronavirus have continued to climb, reaching the highest figures on the dashboard since vaccines became available in December 2020.
With 11 COVID cases added Monday, the current number of “active cases” is now at 51, and the 14-day rolling average is at 3.93 cases per day. The risk level, which was at “moderate” on July 1, rose to “high” a week later.
The eight cases posted today before press time under “individual case reports” had not been included in the rolling average. Three nonresident cases from July 7 also weren’t counted in the average.
Cumulative hospitalizations from the start of the pandemic last year have more than doubled in the last few weeks, to a total of 15.
Over the last two weeks, including the ones posted today, some 58 positive test results were on the dashboard at cityofsitka.org.
“We know by now how to take precautions and by getting vaccinations, wearing masks and social distancing, all those mitigations, will help stop the spread of COVID-19,” said City Public and Government Relations Director Melissa Henshaw this morning.
The dashboard has the cumulative figures from the start of the pandemic. Some 399 residents and 52 nonresidents have tested positive over time. Of the 451 cumulative cases, some 403 are listed as “recovered.”
The most recent tests are “symptomatic.” In the last week, there were two asymptomatic positive tests on July 11 and one on July 9.
No statistics are available on the vaccination status of most recent positive cases. Last week the state public health nurse Denise Ewing said of the last 20 positive COVID cases, 19 were unvaccinated. The vaccinated person was asymptomatic and was identified through routine workplace testing.
Contact tracing is continuing for most of today’s and Monday’s cases. The dashboard shows a predominance of secondary transmission as the cause, with some Community Spread cases as well, which means the source couldn’t be determined.
Also not known at this time is the presence of the Delta virus, which the Centers for Disease Control says has increased transmissibility. It was first identified in India.
