Unified Command News Release 016

For immediate release: 08/01/2020, 9:00 p.m. 

Valdez, AK – The community of Valdez received confirmation of its fifth resident case of COVID-19 late Friday evening.

The new resident case is an adult with mild symptoms. The patient has been in isolation at home since receipt of their positive test results. They are following the guidance of their medical provider and public health officials. All known close contacts of the patient have been notified and are in quarantine. 

The public health contact investigation indicates no apparent link between this patient and the resident cases announced in news releases 013 and 014. While the DHSS Section of Epidemiology source investigations for the recent resident cases remain ongoing, public health officials believe Valdez has begun crossing the threshold into community transmission. The term community transmission means increasing infections within a community without clearly identifiable transmission routes. Presence of additional undetected cases is likely.  

Residents and visitors must continue making thoughtful and careful decisions as long as COVID-19 remains present in Valdez and beyond. Public health officials ask the community to be extremely cautious of participating in high risk activities. Please avoid group gatherings with people outside your family and small, trusted social circle. Avoid both indoor and outdoor social activities where physical distancing or universal masking is not possible. 

Taking small, individual actions like hand hygiene, physical distancing, wearing a cloth face covering around others, and staying home when you are sick all make a big impact towards keeping our community safe. 

Please continue to monitor yourself for COVID-19 symptoms which include a fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, and any new onset of illness. If you believe you have even mild symptoms, contact your healthcare provider for screening and closely follow their instructions. Remember to call ahead before you go to the doctor’s office, public health clinic, or hospital. The local medical team will continue to provide the best possible care for you and our community.

Asymptomatic testing is currently available in Valdez for select high risk populations, including those who interact with the public at work, those with state of Alaska travel vouchers, and those who need pre-procedure testing. If you feel you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or participated in a recent high risk social activity, please contact your medical provider for guidance. Timeline for testing in these situations will vary depending upon your possible exposure date. Visit www.valdezak.gov/COVID-19 for additional information and to learn more about different local testing options. 

 The Valdez Unified Command and public health officials continue to closely monitor the rapidly changing course of COVID-19. We ask the community to practice compassion and remember that behind every case count number is a person dealing with a difficult diagnosis. We remain committed to providing information, support, and resources to protect the health, safety, and well-being of Valdez during this unprecedented time. 

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Contact: Allie Ferko, public information officer, Valdez Unified Command aferko@valdezak.gov, (907) 202-0711

Click here to download pdf version of news release 016.

Learn more about contract tracing in Alaska on the Department of Health & Social Services website: https://bit.ly/2BgsnXr