News Release - New COVID-19 Positive Case

NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release: Friday, November 20, 2020 at 6:35 pm

New Confirmed COVID-19 Case

On Friday, November 20, 2020, Wrangell’s Unified Command was notified of a new confirmed COVID-19 case. The individual has been notified and is in isolation.

We were also notified of two confirmed COVID-19 cases. Those two individuals are Wrangell residents, tested outside of Wrangell and remain outside of Wrangell. Those two cases are considered recovered and are reflected in the graph below.

Here are key steps all Alaskans should be taking right now:

• Keep close interactions to a very small group of people, ideally just within your household.

• Stay 6 feet away from others outside your household at all times.

• Mask up in public places.

• Avoid gatherings. Find creative ways to be social that keep people six feet apart. Go virtual, and remember, being outdoors around others is safer than being indoors.

• Wash hands often. Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces and objects.

• Stay home if you feel sick.

• Get tested for COVID-19 even if you have one symptom, or mild symptoms.

• Keep track of your contacts and contact them immediately if you test positive for COVID-19.

• Answer the call if a public health contact tracer calls you and follow their guidelines.

Given the significant and sustained spike in positive cases throughout the state, Public Health is currently not able to conduct contact tracing for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19. Therefore, individuals who have tested positive are being asked to conduct their own contact tracing by informing any person with whom they may have been a close contact. YOU WILL NOT BE CONTACTED BY PUBLIC HEALTH. Please exercise personal responsibility related to COVID-19. If you are contacted by a positive individual and informed you are a close contact, or if you hear through the “grapevine” of a positive case and you believe yourself to be a close contact, self-isolate for 14 days, monitor for symptoms and seek testing between days 5-7 days of your isolation.

Free community testing available at the AICS Clinic parking lot every

Saturday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

If you are experiencing symptoms, please call the SEARHC COVID-19 Hotline at 907.966.8799 or your local healthcare provider.

If you have additional questions contact the Wrangell COVID Hotline at 907.874.2684 or visit covid19.alaska.gov or covid19.searhc.org for the latest coronavirus information.