Stebbins now has 18 cases of COVID-19 in the local community after three new patients tested positive for the virus yesterday.

According to Norton Sound Health Corporation, these newest cases are related to the recent outbreak in the community. When the initial cluster of 12 individuals tested positive over a week ago, Stebbins’ leadership put a hunker down notice in effect and limited access to public buildings. Those precautions are still in effect currently.

NSHC says it is working with the community and sending additional staff as well as supplies to do community-wide testing in Stebbins. The State Section of Epidemiology and Public Health Nursing have been notified of these three latest cases.

This brings the total to 115 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Norton Sound region, although the Public Health Nursing Department has the total at 116 cases. At least 21 are currently active while 94 are considered recovered.

NSHC is also encouraging residents of the Norton Sound to delay their travel, even medical-related travel, for the next three months. The regional health corporation says telemedicine, or local clinics and the hospital in Nome can be used as alternatives in the meantime, unless a medical visit to Anchorage is absolutely necessary.

Image at top: Particles from the coronavirus. Photo in the public domain via Creative Commons