15 of last 23 positive cases were vaccinated

Of the last 23 positive COVID-19 cases reported in the CNMI, 15 were vaccinated, which means they are considered “breakthrough cases”—the term used when vaccinated people are infected by the COVID-19 virus.

This was learned from the Commonwealth Health Care Corp. last Sunday, with information that the total number of breakthrough cases in the CNMI will be shared sometime later, as CHCC’s team of investigators reviews past records.

Separately, CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muña said last Friday that CHCC has been sharing its recent findings on “breakthrough cases” of COVID-19 in the CNMI with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as these cases have been the recent focus of nationwide studies conducted by the CDC. Even as fully vaccinated individuals test positive for COVID-19, being vaccinated mostly protects these individuals from severe illnesses and hospitalizations, according to CDC.

During a virtual news briefing last Friday, Muña explained that although fully vaccinated individuals are reporting as positive for COVID-19, being fully vaccinated has mostly protected these individuals from the worst of the virus.

“The CDC has found that even with these breakthrough cases, there is less severe illnesses, less hospitalizations for those that are vaccinated,” said Muña.

Muña said that breakthrough cases thus far have only been found in incoming travelers, and dispelled rumors that CHCC recently “rounded up” community members because they tested positive for COVID-19. Muña said the individuals were “rounded up” for the safety of the community, and added that all of these contacts have tested negative.

“So far, all these cases that we’ve identified are travelers. I know there were some rumors going on that we rounded up people that were positive. …It’s just a precaution, we want to protect the community. …We rounded up contacts [of positive travelers], and are assessing them now to release those individuals who are low [risk], and they were all negative so far,” said Muña.

CDC defines a “breakthrough case” as the detection of COVID-19 or antigen in a respiratory specimen collected from a person more than 14 days after they have completed all recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.