Wrangell Sentinel -

With a growing number of COVID-19 cases in the community - 36 between Thursday and Wednesday morning - Petersburg officials have elevated the community risk level to red.

The number of active cases are the most in Petersburg since the pandemic started a year ago.

"The cumulative total of cases is growing larger by the day," the Petersburg emergency operation center said in a statement at 4 p.m. Tuesday. "Many of these cases are still under investigation and contract tracing is difficult."

The cases are "predominantly community spread," the statement said.

"Community spread of the virus must be...