Two additional Gambell residents have tested positive for COVID-19. The community has now had 31 cases of the virus within the last three weeks.

As such, Norton Sound Health Corporation reiterates that the local curfew, hunker down order, and COVID-19 restrictions are still in place. NSHC says they have been working with the State Section of Epidemiology, Public Health Nursing, and Gambell’s leadership since the first cluster of cases was discovered in one family group on September 19th.

In yesterday’s announcement from NSHC, the regional health corporation also identified a non-resident patient who tested positive for the virus. According to NSHC, this individual was tested as a result of the City of Nome’s COVID-19 requirements.

The patient is safely isolating at this time, although NSHC did not say if they were located in Nome or elsewhere.

These three new cases bring Norton Sound’s total to 95. 76 are considered recovered and 19 are currently active.

Image at top: The COVID-19 testing drive-thru tent outside the Norton Sound Regional Hospital. Photo from Reba Lean, NSHC (2020).