More than 200 total cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Norton Sound region since the pandemic began. Norton Sound Health Corporation announced seven new cases last night, six of which are Nome residents.
NSHC says the seventh individual is a non-resident of the region who tested positive through the City of Nome’s travel and testing requirements.
Out of the six new Nome cases, one is travel related, two are close contacts of previously confirmed COVID-19 cases, and three are believed to be community-spread.
According to NSHC, a specific cluster of these Nome cases can be traced back to at least one individual who was at the Arctic Native Brotherhood (ANB) between November 7th – 14th. If you were at the ANB during that timeframe, you may have been exposed to a patient who tested positive for COVID-19.
The regional health corporation recommends anyone who was at the local bar during that week get tested for the coronavirus at the NSHC Operations Building in Nome, and then quarantine for 14 days.
Since all seven new cases are currently isolating in Nome, this brings the local case count to 26 active cases of COVID-19. Norton Sound now has a total of 203 cases since the pandemic began. 29 of those regional cases are currently active, while 174 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).
