Press Releases — 2020

• DHSS Newsroom  
• Governor's Press Release archive
  

Contact for reporters

• Clinton Bennett (907) 269-4996
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December

• 12/31 Additional COVID-19 vaccine arriving soon in Alaska; older Alaskans and front-line essential workers among those next in line
  
• 12/23 Statewide survey indicates Alaskans are masking up and limiting activities
  
• 12/21 Correction: Initial allocations of Moderna vaccine arrive in Alaska; Alaska’s work to distribute, allocate and administer vaccine continues
  
• 12/18 Alaska Pioneer Homes begin vaccinating residents and staff
  
• 12/16 First Alaskans receive COVID-19 vaccine; adverse reaction reported in health care worker in Juneau
  
• 12/14 Alaska receives its first COVID-19 vaccine shipments
  
• 12/10 CARES Act funding provided for crisis stabilization centers, including $1.4 million for disaster support in Haines
  
• 12/09 State-operated infusion center in Anchorage will provide monoclonal antibody treatments to eligible COVID-19 patients; therapies distributed statewide
  
• 12/07 Update on federal COVID-19 vaccine allocation; Alaska prepares for distribution
  
• 12/02 CDC provides new guidance that allows for shortened COVID-19 quarantines
  

November

• 11/23 Case surges create data backlog; public health officials are asking Alaskans to help
  
• 11/16 Strengthening households prior to the birth of a new child is critical for preventing adverse childhood experiences
  
• 11/06 DHSS distributing $4 million in CARES Act funding to support residential congregate care facilities
  

October

• 10/28 API resumes admissions; patient with COVID-19 isolated
  
• 10/28 New ‘Connect To Care Jobs’ website connects Alaska job seekers and long-term service and support agencies
  
• 10/25 As COVID-19 cases rise, DHSS adds personnel and provides added regional support
  
• 10/24 Alaska reports new high for COVID-19 cases; public health officials urge Alaskans to take prevention measures seriously
  
• 10/23 Four cases of COVID-19 identified at Alaska Psychiatric Institute
  
• 10/20 Alaska COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force submits draft vaccination plan to CDC
  
• 10/06 Fairbanks Pioneer Home detects new cases; all homes being actively monitored
  
• 10/02 Getting vaccinated against flu is more important than ever; all Alaskans age six months and older should get their annual flu shot

September

• 09/10 CARES Act funding used to support mental health and suicide prevention efforts
  
• 09/07 Three youth escape from McLaughlin Youth Center

August

• 08/27 Sixteen cases of COVID-19 identified at the McLaughlin Youth Center
• 08/18 Alaska ranks highest in the nation for COVID-19 testing, per capita
• 08/12 Comments and personal action needed on Alaska's draft health improvement plan, Healthy Alaskans 2030
• 08/12 Eight additional COVID-19 cases identified at the Anchorage Pioneer Home; frequent testing will continue
• 08/06 Four cases of COVID-19 identified at the Anchorage Pioneer Home
• 08/06 Alaska’s new travel protocols will conserve resources, increase testing for Alaskans, and help prevent the spread of COVID-19

July

• 07/30 Syphilis rates in Alaska have more than doubled in a year while Alaska's overall STD rates remain among the highest in the nation
• 07/26 Alaska reports record number of COVID-19 cases with 231 cases; 186 Alaskans and 45 nonresidents newly diagnosed
• 07/22 Seafood processing plant in Seward responding to COVID-19 outbreak
• 07/21 79 crew members of seafood processing vessel test positive for COVID-19
• 07/16 Staff member at Alaska Psychiatric Institute tests positive for COVID-19
• 07/15 Recent Alaska death due to paralytic shellfish poisoning; Alaskans should know the health risks when harvesting shellfish
• 07/10 $35 million of CARES Act funding to be distributed to nonprofits in Alaska
• 07/03 50 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Alaska for July 1 and 60 cases for July 2; 85 resident, 25 nonresident, one new death
• 07/03 As COVID-19 cases rise, health officials expand contact tracing workforce and prioritize check-in calls to at-risk individuals
• 07/01 89 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Alaska for June 29-30; 74 resident, 15 nonresident

June

• 06/29 25 new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 21 resident, 4 nonresident
• 06/28 33 new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 29 resident, 4 nonresident
• 06/27 27 new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 19 resident, 8 nonresident
• 06/26 Testing recommended for employees and visitors to two Seward businesses
• 06/26 30 new cases of COVID-19 and two additional deaths recorded in Alaska; 20 resident, 10 nonresident
• 06/25 44 new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 25 residents, 19 nonresidents
• 06/25 DHSS and DCCED Joint Release: New resources for businesses to encourage COVID-19 precautions
• 06/24 21 new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 14 residents, 7 nonresidents
• 06/23 35 new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 16 residents, 19 nonresidents
• 06/22 Ten new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; six resident, four nonresident
• 06/21 Fourteen new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 12 resident, two nonresident
• 06/20 23 new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 21 resident, two nonresident
• 06/20 Unified Command Joint Release: Travelers Entering Alaska by Land or Sea Must Complete Travel Declaration Form. Quarantine or testing is required
• 06/19 Twenty-six new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 14 resident, 12 nonresident
• 06/18 Additional funding available for child care providers through Alaska’s CARES funding
• 06/18 Nineteen new cases of COVID-19 in Alaska; 12 resident, seven nonresident
• 06/17 Twenty new cases of COVID-19 reported in 13 Alaska communities; five new nonresident cases
• 06/16 Twelve new cases of COVID-19 reported in nine Alaska communities; one new nonresident case
• 06/15 Three new cases of COVID-19 reported in three Alaska communities; one new nonresident case
• 06/14 Nine new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities; three new nonresident cases
• 06/13 29 new cases of COVID-19 reported in 14 Alaska communities; five new nonresident cases
• 06/12 Fifteen new cases of COVID-19 reported in eight Alaska communities; one new death; seven new nonresident cases
• 06/12 Testing option now provided as an alternative to Alaska’s 14-day quarantine for visitors or Alaskans returning home from out-of-state travel | Chart: Traveling into Alaska? Follow these steps.
• 06/11 Seventeen new cases of COVID-19 reported in 10 Alaska communities; seven new nonresident cases
• 06/10 Twenty new cases of COVID-19 reported in nine Alaska communities; two new nonresident cases
• 06/09 Eleven new cases of COVID-19 reported in six Alaska communities; one new death
• 06/08 Nineteen new cases of COVID-19 reported in seven Alaska communities
• 06/07 Eight new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities; one nonresident case identified in Anchorage
  
• 06/06 Twelve new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities; two nonresident cases identified
  
• 06/05 Eleven new cases of COVID-19 reported in six Alaska communities; two nonresident cases identified in Anchorage
  
• 06/04 CORRECTED: Eight new cases of COVID-19 reported in five Alaska communities; 18 nonresident cases identified
  
• 06/04 Eight new cases of COVID-19 reported in five Alaska communities; 18 nonresident cases identified
  
• 06/03 18 new cases of COVID-19 reported in eight Alaska communities; one nonresident case in Anchorage
  
• 06/02 20 new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities; one new nonresident case in Valdez-Cordova Census Area
  
• 06/01 Seven new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities
  

May

• 05/31 27 new cases of COVID-19 reported in eight Alaska communities
  
• 05/30 Four new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities; one nonresident case in Bristol Bay Borough
  
• 05/29 Five new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities; one nonresident case in Kenai Peninsula Borough
  
• 05/28 Thirteen new cases of COVID-19 reported in seven Alaska communities
  
• 05/27 One new case of COVID-19 reported in Bethel Census Area
  
• 05/26 Two new cases of COVID-19 reported in two Alaska communities; two nonresident cases in seafood industry workers in Anchorage
  
• 05/25 One new case of COVID-19 reported in the Kenai Peninsula Borough; two new nonresident cases reported in Kenai seafood workers
  
• 05/24 No new cases of COVID-19 reported in Alaska
  
• 05/23 Four new cases of COVID-19 reported in three Alaska communities; one new nonresident case reported in a seafood worker in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area
  
• 05/22 Two new cases of COVID-19 reported in two Alaska communities
  
• 05/21 No new cases of COVID-19 reported in Alaska
  
• 05/21 New results from 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reveal a sharp rise in vaping and suicide attempts, plus other challenges and some improvements for Alaska adolescents
  
• 05/20 Three new cases of COVID-19 reported in three Alaska communities; two nonresident cases in seafood industry workers in Anchorage
  
• 05/19 No new cases of COVID-19 reported in Alaska
  
• 05/18 Three new cases of COVID-19 reported in two Alaska communities
• 05/17 Four new cases of COVID-19 reported in three Alaska communities; one new nonresident case reported in a seafood industry worker in Anchorage
  
• 05/16 Four new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities; one nonresident case reported in a seafood industry worker in Dillingham
  
• 05/16 Positive case of COVID-19 confirmed in Dillingham; State of Alaska continues to work with communities and industries to prevent the spread of COVID-19
  
• 05/15 One new case of COVID-19 reported in Anchorage; one nonresident case
  
• 05/14 Four new cases of COVID-19 reported in two Alaska communities
• 05/13 No new cases of COVID-19 reported in Alaska
• 05/12 Federal, state and Tribal health partners travel to rural communities to learn about sanitation concerns and preparations for the fishing season
• 05/12 Two new cases of COVID-19 reported in Juneau; one out-of-state case
• 05/11 Two new cases of COVID-19 reported in two Alaska communities
• 05/10 One new case of COVID-19 reported in Fairbanks
• 05/09 One new case of COVID-19 reported in Kenai
• 05/08 Three new cases of COVID-19 reported in one Alaska community
• 05/07 Two new cases of COVID-19 reported in two Alaska communities; one out-of-state case
• 05/06 One new case of COVID-19 reported in one Alaska community; one new death
• 05/05 One new case of COVID-19 reported in one Alaska community
• 05/04 Two new cases of COVID-19 reported in one Alaska community
• 05/03 Three new cases of COVID-19 reported in two Alaska communities
• 05/02 One new case of COVID-19 reported in Fairbanks
• 05/01 Nine new cases of COVID-19 reported in five Alaska communities

April

• 04/30 No new cases of COVID-19 reported in Alaska
• 04/29 Four new cases of COVID-19 reported in two Alaska communities
• 04/28 Six new cases of COVID-19 reported in four Alaska communities
• 04/27 Alaska’s parents share concerns about how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their families
• 04/27 Four new cases of COVID-19 reported in three Alaska communities
• 04/26 Two new cases of COVID-19 reported in two Alaska communities
• 04/25 No new cases of COVID-19 reported
• 04/24 Two new cases of COVID-19 announced in two Alaska communities
• 04/23 Two new cases of COVID-19 announced in one Alaska community
• 04/22 Six new cases of COVID-19 announced in three Alaska communities
• 04/21 Eight new cases of COVID-19 announced in four Alaska communities
• 04/20 Two new cases of COVID-19 announced in two Alaska communities
• 04/19 Five new cases of COVID-19 announced in three Alaska communities
• 04/18 Five new cases of COVID-19 announced in four Alaska communities
• 04/17 Nine new cases of COVID-19 announced in three Alaska communities
• 04/16 Seven new cases of COVID-19 announced in three Alaska communities
• 04/15 Eight new cases of COVID-19 announced in four Alaska communities
• 04/14 Eight new cases of COVID-19 announced in two Alaska communities; one new death
• 04/13 Five new cases of COVID-19 announced in two Alaska communities
• 04/13 DHSS survey explores how COVID-19 pandemic is impacting Alaska families
• 04/12 Fifteen new cases of COVID-19 detected in seven Alaska communities
• 04/11 Eleven new cases of COVID-19 and one new death announced in three Alaska communities; clarifying revisions made to state mandates
• 04/10 Eleven new cases of COVID-19 detected in seven Alaska communities
• 04/09 Nine new cases of COVID-19 detected in four Alaska communities
• 04/08 Thirteen new cases of COVID-19 detected in three Alaska communities; one new death
• 04/07 Twenty two new cases of COVID-19 detected in four Alaska communities
• 04/06 Six new cases of COVID-19 detected in five Alaska communities
• 04/05 One new death and 14 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Alaska
• 04/04 Two new deaths and 14 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Alaska
  
• 04/01 Ten new cases of COVID-19 detected in six Alaska communities

March

• 03/31 Fourteen new cases of COVID-19 detected in five Alaska communities
• 03/30 Five new cases of COVID-19 detected in three Alaska communities
• 03/29 Twelve new cases of COVID-19 detected in six Alaska communities; third Alaska death
• 03/29 Cluster of COVID-19 cases associated with Fairbanks Medical Building
• 03/28 Seventeen new cases of COVID-19 detected; first case in a long-term care facility
  
• 03/27 First in-state Alaskan death from COVID-19
  
• 03/26 Ten new cases of COVID-19 detected
  
• 03/25 Seventeen new cases of COVID-19 detected
  
• 03/24 Six new cases of COVID-19 detected
  
• 03/23 Four new cases of COVID-19 detected, all in Anchorage
  
• 03/22 Ten new cases of COVID-19 detected in three Alaska communities
  
• 03/21 Seven new cases of COVID-19 detected in five Alaska communities

February

• 02/28 Alaska’s public health laboratories can now test for novel coronavirus
  
• 02/25 Flu is currently active in Alaska and cases could rise - it's not too late to vaccinate!
• 02/07 ANC Operations Continue, with Precautions in Place for Novel Coronavirus (DOT&PF/DHSS)

January

• 01/29 Flight carrying U.S. citizens from Wuhan departed Anchorage; all passengers continued on to California
• 01/28 Update on the flight evacuating U.S. citizens from Wuhan that will refuel in Anchorage
• 01/28 February summit and special events support healthy, active Alaska children
• 01/27 Flight evacuating U.S. citizens from Wuhan scheduled to refuel in Anchorage
• 01/24 Press Statement: DHSS Hires Tammie Wilson as Policy Advisor More Support Needed for Alaska's Children & Families
• 01/14  Noel Rea selected to manage Alaska Psychiatric Institute as interim chief executive officer