CNMI has 8th COVID-related death

The CNMI reported its eighth COVID-19-related death Sunday night, together with news that 47 new positive cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18.

With the newest positive count, the CNMI’s total tally of COVID-19 cases now stands at 2,422, with 2,140 identified from community screening. The remaining 282 were identified from travel testing.

Sunday’s news release from the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. did not provide more details about the latest COVID-19-related fatality but said more details will be provided later.

CHCC chief executive officer Esther L. Muña offered her condolences yesterday, saying that losing a loved one is always sad but is “really heartbreaking” as the holidays near. Muña said she and CHCC will provide as much resources and help to the families during this time while also allowing them “room to breathe.”

She urged the community to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to receive boosters if due for one, and assured that the CNMI has the tools to help individuals recover.

“We continue to urge individuals to please try to get vaccinated [and] get boosters especially if you’re due for it. We have the tools to help you recover from this; we want people to start thinking about living safely with COVID,” she said.

Of the 47 newest cases, 11 were identified on Dec. 17 and 36 on Dec. 18. By identification method, 34 were found through contact tracing and 13 were found through community testing. The individuals have since been isolated and are being actively monitored, and the vaccination statuses of the 47 were pending verification as of Sunday night, said CHCC.

As of Dec. 19, there are 12 who are hospitalized right now as a result of COVID-19, two of them on ventilators. By vaccination status, seven are unvaccinated and five unvaccinated. Four patients have already been discharged.

CHCC also reported that, as of Dec. 18, there have been 1,386 recoveries made, 740 active cases, and five COVID-19-related deaths since Oct. 28.

CHCC also reported that a total of 797 COVID-19 vaccine shots were administered on Dec. 18, bringing the CNMI’s vaccination rate to 91.3%. As of yesterday, that count now stood at 91.7%. Registering for COVID-19 vaccines can be done at www.vaccinatecnmi.com. CHCC added that there were no vaccination operations on Dec. 19.

CHCC reported that a total of 293 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Dec. 18, comprising travel and surveillance testing but not including testing numbers from the Department of Fire & Emergency Medical Services’ antigen COVID-19 testing. Registering for community-based testing can be done at https://covidtesting.chcc.health/.