Alaska reports 159 new virus cases, with 111 in Anchorage

Alaska health officials reported that there were 159 new COVID-19 cases in the state Sunday, including 111 within the Municipality of Anchorage.

The new cases included 145 Alaska residents and 14 non-residents, The Anchorage Daily News reported.

Data from the state Department of Health and Social Services showed there was one new hospitalization reported, while there were no additional deaths on Sunday.

The health department reported that 27 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized as of Sunday and 12 people were hospitalized with test results for the virus pending.

Alaska has had 3,280 confirmed cases of the coronavirus including 134 people who have required hospitalization since the pandemic began, officials said.

There have been 24 deaths of Alaska residents connected to COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Cases have sharply climbed in the last few months since Alaska began reopening its businesses and other public facilities.

Officials have said the growing number of cases could far exceed the available hospital beds. Slightly less than half of the state's 163 intensive care unit beds were available on Sunday and about 60 per centof the state's normal hospital beds were occupied.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some especially older adults and people with existing health problems it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.

The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.