State confirms 16 COVID-19 infections at McLaughlin Youth Center

State health officials on Thursday confirmed 16 COVID-19 infections at the McLaughlin Youth Center in Anchorage.

That includes 12 young Alaskans in a treatment unit at the youth detention center, and four staff members who work on that unit, said the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

“The initial case was identified in a staff member who was tested after displaying symptoms,” the department said in a statement. “After the positive result came back, the unit the staff member worked on was placed in quarantine status and all youth residing and close contact staff working on the unit were tested.” 

Twelve of the 16 young people had positive tests. They are in isolation at the center, and the staff members who tested positive are in isolation at their homes, the statement said.

The state says it’s regularly testing all youth and staff at the center until the entire facility has two weeks of negative tests.

Also, it says, McLaughlin has sanitized the treatment unit where the young people were staying, and has provided staff with medical masks, gowns, eye protection and gloves.

Visitation at the center has been suspended since Aug. 5.

Previously at McLaughlin, one staff member tested positive for the virus in April, one young person tested positive in June, and another youth tested positive during the admission process in August and was asymptomatic, the state says.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.