Tribal Emergency Operations Center: 8.4.20 Update on COVID-19

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

August 4, 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.

The total number of positive COVID-19 cases in Alaska as of August 3, 2020 is 4,125, including 59 new resident cases and 7 new non-resident cases. Of these cases, 2,264 are under investigation, 379 individuals had a recent history of travel and 1,482 were close contact, community or unknown. There has been a total of 1,159 statewide recoveries, 139 hospitalizations and 25 deaths. To view resident, non-resident, case counts by high tribal citizen populations, and total U.S. breakdowns, see below.

If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever with symptoms, such as a cough or difficulty breathing, contact your local healthcare provider for medical advice.

*The Alaska COVID-19 data is derived from the Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub developed by the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. Alaska resident cases are reported by place of resident, and includes Alaskan residents diagnosed and isolated out-of-state. Non-resident cases are reported by place of diagnosis. Communities with fewer than 1,000 residents are combined at the borough/census area level to protect patient privacy. Counts by residency status and place are subject to change as additional information is collected during case investigations. Source: Alaska Department of Health and Social Services

SOUTHEAST ALASKA RESIDENT CASES

Southeast AK Resident Cases by Community:

There are 185 confirmed resident cases in Southeast Alaska including 2 new cases reported: 1 case in Juneau, and 1 case in Ketchikan. Of these cases, 102 are active, 81 have recovered and 2 deaths have been recorded.

Haines Borough: 4 (1 recovered, 3 active)
Juneau City & Borough: 92 (41 recovered, 50 active, 1 death)
Ketchikan Gateway Borough: 36 (20 recovered, 16 active)
Petersburg Borough: 6 (4 recovered, 1 active, 1 death)
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area:
Craig 4 (2 recovered, 2 active)
Metlakatka 1 (1 active)
Other 3 (3 active)
Sitka City & Borough: 23 (11 recovered, 12 active)
Wrangell City & Borough: 9 (1 recovered, 8 active)
Yakutat-Hoonah-Angoon: 7 (1 recovered, 6 active)

NON-RESIDENT CASES IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA

Non-Resident Cases in Southeast Alaska by Community:

There are 104 confirmed non-resident cases in Southeast Alaska including no new cases reported. Of these cases, 73 are active and 31 have recovered.

Haines Borough: 4 (4 active)
Juneau City & Borough: 65 (12 recovered, 53 active)
Ketchikan Gateway Borough: 14 (8 recovered, 6 active)
Petersburg Borough: 4 (1 recovered, 3 active)
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area:
Craig 1 (1 recovered)
Sitka City & Borough: 9 (4 recovered, 5 active)
Wrangell City & Borough: 6 (4 recovered, 2 active)
Yakutat-Hoonah-Angoon: 1 (1 recovered)

CASE COUNTS BY HIGH TRIBAL CITIZEN POPULATIONS

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*:

Confirmed Cases: 523,245
Deaths: 9,605

*Reported by the Los Angeles Times as of

2:18 PM (PST) on August 4, 2020.

Washington*:

Confirmed Cases: 58,715
Deaths: 1,600

*Reported by Washington State Department of Health as of 11:59 PM (PST) on August 2, 2020.

UNITED STATES CASE COUNT UPDATE

United States COVID-19 Cases:

Total Confirmed: 4,751,853*
Total Recovered: 1,513,446*
Total Deaths: 156,301*
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 12:34:57 PM AKDT on August 4, 2020.

RESOURCE HIGHLIGHT

Tlingit & Haida Financial Assistance Programs & Services

Tribal citizens and all Alaska Natives or American Indians who reside in Tlingit & Haida’s service area and are recently unemployed or laid-off due to the Coronavirus crisis can seek assistance through several of the Tribe’s programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Child Care or General Assistance.

These programs can help with essential needs such as food, diapers & formula, clothing, shelter and utilities depending on eligibility.

For more information on eligibility requirements and service areas for each of our programs, refer to Tlingit & Haida’s Program Profiles .

Resources for Tribal Citizens Living Out of State:

There are many tribal citizens in need that are not in our service area. Unfortunately, due to federal funding restrictions, many of Tlingit & Haida's services are only available to individuals and families that are Alaska Native or American Indian and reside within our service area, which is Southeast Alaska with the exception of a few village tribes that operate their own programs.

This is an unfortunate reality of administering restricted funds and an issue Tlingit & Haida is working hard to address by generating unrestricted revenues through its tribal business enterprises. Many tribes throughout the United States administer these same programs and provide services to Alaska Natives and American Indians in their service area.

For tribal citizens residing outside of Tlingit & Haida’s service area, please go to the Bureau of Indian Affairs website and locate the tribe nearest you to request assistance.

RECENT NEWS & ALERTS

The First Alaska Cruise of the COVID-19 Pandemic is Underway — There’s going to be an Alaska cruise season after all, but it’s a far cry from the 1.4 million passengers that were expected before the pandemic hit. (KTOO)
Alaska Reports Death of Anchorage Man with COVID-19, Plus 80 New Infections Statewide — Alaska on Monday reported another death tied to COVID-19, an Anchorage man in his 70s. He is the 25th Alaskan to die with the virus. (Anchorage Daily News)
Weekend Concerts Draw Large Crowds in Palmer — Restrictions on gatherings in Anchorage have pushed some large concerts out to the Alaska Raceway Park in the Butte. Over Friday and Saturday, hundreds gathered at the park for a series of concerts, where many chose not to wear face coverings or leave six feet of space between themselves and others. (KTUU)
Congress, White House Struggle to Break Coronavirus Aid Stalemate as Economic Pain Spreads — Democratic leaders and Trump administration officials expect to meet again Tuesday as they attempt to hash out a pandemic aid package. The sides appear to have resolved few of the thorny issues at stake in the talks, even though more than a week has passed since Republicans unveiled a counteroffer to the legislation Democrats passed in May. (CNBC)
As the Coronavirus Comes to School, a Tough Choice: When to Close — As schools in the South and the Midwest reopen this week, officials must decide what steps to take as staff members and students test positive. (The New York Times)
When Will COVID End? Update on The Race for a Coronavirus Vaccine — Dozens of vaccines to stop COVID-19 are being developed at a record pace. We tell you everything you need to know about the progress being made. (C|Net)

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.

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.