Another Norton Sound Health Corporation employee based in Nome has tested positive for COVID-19. The case was identified through NSHC’s routine testing of its employees.
NSHC announced last night that this latest patient is connected to the growing cluster of cases that came into contact with two travel-related cases from last week. Both of those original COVID cases were also Norton Sound Health Corporation employees.
The regional health corporation says anyone who is identified as a close contact of this newest case will be instructed to quarantine for 14 days following their last contact with the patient. The state Section of Epidemiology and Public Health Nursing will investigate the positive case and their close contacts.
NSHC is recommending regular testing for residents who come into contact with a lot of people on a daily basis, for school students, and at least one person per household. However, NSHC also points out that testing alone is not going to prevent the spread of the virus.
Even though there is a shortage of rapid COVID-19 tests available in the Norton Sound region right now, residents can still get tested at their local village clinic or the walk-in tent in Nome.
The total number of positive cases in the Norton Sound is now 35, 26 of those are considered recovered.
Image at top: The COVID-19 testing drive-thru tent outside the Norton Sound Regional Hospital. Photo from Reba Lean, NSHC (2020).
