Isabelle Ross

BBAHC conducted a second round of testing in the Chignik region Wednesday, and a security contractor conducted vulnerability assessments in the Bristol Bay Borough and Dillingham. 

The state is continuing to emphasize testing as a major part of its strategy to manage COVID-19 ahead of the fishing season.

Close contacts of the resident were tested by the Abbot ID Now rapid test machine. Those results are being sent to the state lab for confirmation.

The case is not associated with the seafood industry, and the person was tested in Anchorage, not their home community in the Chignik area, according to the state.   

It’s the ninth case of an out-of-state resident testing positive for the disease, and it’s the fourth instance of someone testing positive who works in that industry. The state says they did not come in contact with anyone in town and will be leaving today.

State and federal officials are traveling to Dillingham, Egegik, and Naknek-King Salmon to tour processing facilities and meet with local health professionals to discuss community needs ahead of the fishing season. 

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink said the state is working to send out several testing machines to rural areas. Along with the standard increase in wildlife troopers, the state is considering how to provide additional security for Bristol Bay communities. 

Bristol Bay has no reported COVID-19 cases as of May 6. The state inadvertently posted a practice COVID-19 test result for the Dillingham area to its raw test data site.

Dillingham subsistence permits can be filled out on phones, tablets, or computers. The electronic option is an effort to reduce foot traffic to Fish and Game's office, which only allows two visitors in the office at a time.