State health officials announced the largest single day of new positive tests for COVID-19 in Alaska. Nearly all of Sunday's cases of the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease, were identified in Southcentral.
The new cases were found in three communities: seven in Anchorage, two in the Mat-Su and one in Juneau.
All of the patients were adults and are self-isolating at home, a release from the Department of Health and Social Services stated. One patient in Anchorage had recently traveled outside of Alaska, while the others are still not confirmed to be linked to travel.
“At least two of the new Anchorage cases that we are investigating have no clearly identified contact with a confirmed case,” said Dr. Joe McLaughlin, Alaska’s state epidemiologist. “This indicates that community transmission of COVID-19 appears to be occurring in the Anchorage area.”