On Sunday evening, June 7, the first positive case of COVID-19 was announced in the community of Wrangell. A joint press release from the city and SEARHC reports that the patient is an unnamed female. She is a resident of Wrangell, according to the press release, and is asymptomatic. Contact tracing, trying to determine who might have come into contact with the patient and may potentially be at risk, is currently ongoing.
"SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) representatives are currently working with Public Health Officials to complete contact tracing and notify anyone who may have come in contact with the individual," the press release reads.
Upon receiving the positive test result, the press release states that the patient immediately quarantined themselves at home.
A June 8 update from the city reports that it is currently uncertain how the patient contracted COVID-19 in the first place.
"Officials with the State of Alaska Department of Public Health completed the interview with the positive individual last night [June 7]," the update reads. "It is understood the individual has not recently traveled. Therefore, the case is considered to be community acquired and the source of the virus is, as of now, unknown."
Another update from the city, on June 9, confirmed that the patient and all close contacts were isolating at their homes. June 9 is considered "day one" of daily monitoring, the update adds. Public Health will be checking in on the individual and close contacts daily for a period of two weeks.
While contact tracing has been completed and all close contacts were notified, several local organizations have taken to social media to alert the wider public that they may have had incidental contact with the patient.
The Wrangell Elks Lodge posted on Facebook that the patient was present in their building on June 5 and 6. They asked that anybody who came by the lodge on either of those days contact them, as they are required to provide a list of individuals to health officials. They also announced that the lodge would be closed for deep cleaning, and will not reopen until June 15 at the earliest.
Muskeg Meadows, the golf course, also announced that the patient was present at their location on June 6 and 7. They have a list of every person who came by the course over the weekend, and will be providing it to the state for contact tracing purposes. While the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the outdoors is lower than indoors, their post reads, they encouraged people to contact their local medical center for guidance if they have concerns or begin to show symptoms.
The Totem Bar and Liquor Store also shared on Facebook that the patient in question visited the bar over the weekend. They will be closed for cleaning, for the time being, and also said that they are in contact with the city to make sure they are doing "all that is necessary."
Other businesses, out of caution, have also announced temporary closures or alterations to their usual operations. The Irene Ingle Public Library, for example, announced they would be closing until contact tracing is complete. Zak's Cafe posted on Facebook that they would be returning to curbside pickup for meals only for the time being. Arrowhead Transfer and Alaska Marine Lines also said they would be temporarily closing their office to update their protocols for public interaction, but they will still be operating at their regular hours. The Stikine Inn also announced a temporary closure of their restaurant for the time being.
"I want to remind everyone of a few things," Mayor Steve Prysunka wrote in a letter to the community. "1. The positive test needs to be confirmed. It maybe a false positive. We have had this happen in other communities. 2. SEARHC and the local Emergency Operations Center have been planning for this day for months. We are handling the situation and the situation is under control. 3. The state is working closely with us and we will ensure that appropriate resources are applied to ensure timely contact tracing. 4. It's up to everyone to stay vigilant and prevent the spread of the virus."
Prysunka's letter, the joint press release, and many other pieces of information regarding COVID-19 and Wrangell can be found at the city's
webpage, http://www.wrangellcovid19.org.
Maegan Bosak, SEARHC director of marketing and communications, said in an email to the Sentinel that the name of the patient will not be released, per standards set by the state. The same goes for why she was being tested, if she was asymptomatic.
"SEARHC will respect those standards and not breach confidentiality," she wrote. "For patient privacy, under HIPAA law, we are not allowed to release patients' names."
Bosak also added that information regarding the source of the virus, if discovered, will come from Public Health officials and will be shared with the local emergency operations center.
The Wrangell Emergency Operations Center will be issuing daily press releases updating the public on this situation this week, according to a June 9 update, every afternoon unless information requires earlier notification.
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