Providing current news on the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) to protect the safety and well-being of Tlingit & Haida's citizens, clients, employees and communities.

CONTACT: Tribal Emergency Operations Center (TEOC) 907.463.7368 ∙ communications@ ccthita-nsn.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2020 Tlingit & Haida is committed to providing current information on the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to ensure all tribal citizens remain informed and have the resources needed to stay safe. Below is a brief update from Tlingit & Haida’s Tribal Emergency Operations Center.

CASE COUNT UPDATE

Alaska Case Count Update: The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Alaska is currently 345 including 4 ne w cases as of April 26, 2020. Of these cases, 84 individuals had a recent history of travel and 261 were close contact, community or unknown. There has been a total of 218 statewide recoveries, 37 hospitalizations and 9 deaths. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, contact your local healthcare provider for medical advice.

Case Count by States with High Tribal Citizen Populations: The following are statistics for California and Washington states where a large population of Tlingit & Haida's tribal citizens reside.

California*: Total Confirmed Cases: 44,844 Total Deaths: 1,753 *Statistics reported as of 1:55 PM (PST) on April 27, 2020. Washington*: Total Confirmed Cases: 13,521 Total Deaths: 749 *Statistics reported are as of 11:59 PM (PST) on April 25, 2020.

United States COVID-19 Cases: Total Confirmed: 983,848* Total Recovered: 110,598* Total Deaths: 55,906* Jurisdictions reporting cases: 55 (50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) *United States COVID-19 data is derived from an interactive dashboard developed by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at John Hopkins University that tracks the COVID-19 spread in real-time. Data was pulled at 12:31:20 PM AKDT on April 27, 2020.

SAFETY TIP

HOW TO WASH YOUR MASKS The Center for Disease Control and Alaska’s chief medical officer still recommend wearing face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Many people have made homemade face masks  to ensure surgical masks stay in the hands of our front-line healthcare employees.  If you are using a homemade face mask made of fabric, make sure to wash it regularly or after each time you wear it.

RECENT NEWS & ALERTS

Alaska Is Flattening the Curve, Health Experts Say, But It’s Complicated – The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Alaska has been declining, but that doesn’t tell the entire story of the spread of the new Coronavirus in the state. (Anchorage Daily News) Serving Wings and a Prayer: It’s Back to Business for Fairbanks Restaurants – The Alaskan city 200 miles from the Arctic Circle was one of the first in the country to reopen restaurants after a long Coronavirus shutdown. (The New York Times) Coronavirus: How India Will Play a Major Role in a COVID-19 Vaccine – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last fortnight that India and the US were working together to develop vaccines against the Coronavirus. (BBC News) New York Hospitals Are Studying a Common Heartburn Drug as Treatment for COVID-19 – Hospitals in New York are giving COVID-19 patients heartburn medicine to see if it helps fight the virus according to the doctor who initiated the trial. (CNN)

COVID-19 RESOURCES

It is imperative that our tribal citizens continue to hunker down and shelter in place, follow federal, state, tribal and local health mandates, and stay informed on the COVID-19 pandemic to keep ourselves and our families safe. Alaska COVID-19 Alaska DHSS COVID-19 State of Alaska Health Mandates Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub Centers for Disease Control Bureau of Indian Affairs COVID-19 National Indian Health Board COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center Indian Health Services COVID-19 Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortiums' COVID-19 Resources TLPI Indian Country Resources

Tlingit & Haida's Tribal Emergency Operations Center (TEOC) The Tribal Emergency Operations Center (TEOC) was created to enable Tlingit & Haida to provide timely, integrated, and coordinated responses to the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that addresses the four phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. The activation of the TEOC is not due to any identified cases within the Tribe. All actions are aimed at protecting the safety and well-being of Tlingit & Haida’s citizens, clients, employees and communities.

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