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20 cases since Thursday
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Posted on Nov 08 2021
Twenty new cases of COVID-19 were identified since Thursday last week, according to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., which means there are now 59 active cases in the CNMI: 46 identified through contact tracing, 10 through community-based testing, and three through arrival testing. As of Nov. 6, the CNMI’s total number of COVID-19 cases is now 350.
From last Thursday to Saturday, CHCC put out three separate news releases that reported that nine cases were identified Thursday, four on Friday, and seven on Saturday.
CHCC said Thursday that nine were identified and confirmed positive through surveillance testing and travel screening on Nov. 3 and 4, and that a total of 628 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Nov. 3 comprising travel and surveillance testing.
CHCC said Friday that four were identified and confirmed positive through surveillance testing on Nov. 4, and that a total of 840 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Nov. 4 comprising travel and surveillance testing.
CHCC said Saturday that seven were identified and confirmed positive through surveillance testing on Nov. 5, and that a total of 655 tests were conducted on Nov. 5 comprising travel and surveillance testing.
In all three releases over the weekend, CHCC said the affected individuals have since been quarantined and are being actively monitored. CHCC also assures that its Communicable Disease Investigation/Inspection team has already reached out to those who were in closest contact with the new cases and that the team will continue its efforts “until all probable cases are identified and tested”.
CHCC also said that its contact tracers have reached out to contacts who are deemed high risk, and that “the associated risk of infection depends on the level of exposure, which will, in turn, determine the type of monitoring.” CHCC added that establishing the level of exposure can be difficult and requires investigation.
For individuals in the community experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, and new loss of taste or smell, CHCC asks those concerned to see their healthcare providers or call the CHCC Tele-Triage hotline at 670-233-2067.
