Haines, Alaska, reports 1st confirmed case of COVID-19

The community of Haines, Alaska, has reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19.

In a newsrelease on Monday, the Haines Borough said a male patient contacted the local health centre lastWednesdayafter he began experiencing symptoms. He was then tested for COVID-19.

According to the news release, the patient has been quarantined and is being monitored virtually.

"This moves our community risk from theory to reality. It is more important than ever for each citizen to be vigilant in the practices we have been recommending for months," the release says.

According to 2010 U.S. census data, Haines had a population of 1,713 people. The only road connecting the community to the rest of the state goes through B.C. and Yukon.

Local health officials are working with the Alaska Department of Public Health to docontact tracing and notify anyone who may have come in contact with the affected person. He had not recently travelled anywhere, the news release says.

As of Monday, Alaska has seen 563 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Forty-eight people have been hospitalized and 10 people have died.