A fourth case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has been found in Nome. This marks the third confirmed case for the city and the Bering Strait region within the last few weeks.
According to an announcement from Norton Sound Health Corporation, released after 9pm last night, the patient was tested by NSHC and lives in Nome.
The health corporation says the patient is currently self-isolating and the State Section of Epidemiology will be handling the contact tracing process.
NSHC’s spokesperson Reba Lean confirmed that the patient is not an employee of the health corporation. Two prior COVID-19 cases in Nome were both Norton Sound employees. Both were deemed officially recovered by Friday of last week.
According to the latest update of the state database, there are 573 total COVID-19 cases in Alaska. 389 of those have recovered. The number of active cases includes Nome’s newest case as of this morning’s update to the state database.
Residents of Nome and the Bering Strait region are still able to be tested for the coronavirus for free. NSHC recently started testing at the local airport in Nome in addition to operating the walk-in tent Monday through Friday.
Lean says she could not disclose the location of where this newest Nome case received their coronavirus test.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 such as coughing, shortness of breath, or even loss of smell and or taste, call NSHC’s Primary Care at 443-3333.
Image at top: Particles from the coronavirus. Photo in the public domain via Creative Commons.
