ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska reported rising virus hospitalization numbers Friday and the highest case rate in the nation as the omicron variant continues to snarl staffing at health care facilities that have had to adapt to the ups and downs of the pandemic.
The state on Friday reported 5,897 cases of COVID-19 over the past two days and a seven-day case rate of 2,360.4 cases per 100,000 — higher than any other U.S. state, according to a CDC tracker.
Meanwhile, cases and hospitalizations in many other states and countries continued to fall. Alaska’s omicron surge began a few weeks after other states, which is likely why cases here have not yet begun to slow, Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer, said Thursday during a call with reporters.
