Previous Story
4 new COVID-19 cases in NMI
70-year-old man was first COVID-19 death in CNMI
Test results on the 70-year-old man who died last Monday at the Kanoa Resort quarantine site came back positive for COVID-19 yesterday, together with the test results that confirm three new COVID-19 cases in the CNMI.
Press secretary Kevin Bautista confirmed that the male individual died of COVID-19 complications and is officially the first COVID-19 related death in the Commonwealth.
On top of the two confirmed COVID-19 cases in the CNMI, the new test results show that there are now six positive cases in the CNMI and one death.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force, and the Commonwealth Health Care Corp. announced the confirmation of three other new COVID-19 cases in the CNMI. They said four new positives, but that count includes the man who died Monday.
The three new cases are all females, ages 14, 60, and 77.
CHCC said it has already initiated contact tracing for the most immediate contacts of these three patients, like close family members, friends, and work associates.
As of yesterday, the CNMI has submitted a total of 31 specimens for COVID-19 testing to the Guam Public Health Laboratory. Of those 31 specimens, 19 have been processed, resulting in six positive cases and 13 negative cases. CHCC awaits the results of 12 specimens.
Some of the cases came in contact with those who have a travel history from a location with confirmed COVID-19 cases. Other cases have had no travel history or no evident indication of coming in contact with someone who is positive for COVID-19.
This new finding of cases occurring among those without close contact is being looked at as suggestive that COVID-19 community transmission is already occurring on Saipan. Community transmission means people may have been infected within the community and not just imported from another COVID-19 outbreak jurisdiction.
COVID-19 updates in Guam
Guam saw its third COVID-19 related death yesterday at the Guam Memorial Hospital, an 81-year-old with underlying health issue.
The patient had no recent travel history but initial investigations indicate the patient may have contracted COVID-19 from community contact.
The Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services tested 28 individuals for COVID-19 last Tuesday; nine tested positive and 19 tested negative.
The DPHSS overall count also includes four positive cases that were tested by the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego.
Currently, Guam has 69 confirmed cases, 35 are male and 34 are female. Three have died, seven have recovered, and 59 remain in isolation.
Of the 69 confirmed cases in Guam, one is in their 90s, three are in their 80s, six are in their 70s, 21 are in their 60’s, 13 are in their 50’s, 11 are in their 40s, eight are in their 30s and six are in their 20s.
