5 hospitalized; 238 new cases

As of July 13, 2022, there are five individuals hospitalized as a result of COVID-19, according to a Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. news release late Wednesday.

The same news release stated that there were zero new hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the previous week from July 3 to 9, 2022. It is presumed then that all new five cases are from within this week.

The same news release states that, from July 3 to 9, 2022, 238 additional individuals have been confirmed positive for COVID-19, bringing the CNMI total to 12,193 cases since March 28, 2020. Some duplicates have been removed. Of the cases recently identified: 27 were identified on July 3; 19 on July 4; 65 on July 5; 45 on July 6; 43 on July 7, 2022 (three on Tinian); 23 on July 8, 2022 (one on Tinian); and 16 on July 9 (on on Tinian).

Of the total cases that have been identified in the CNMI, there have been 11,967 recoveries; 191 active cases; and 35 COVID-19-related deaths.

The next CHCC report will be issued around July 18, 2022.
With the uptick in community cases, the CNMI has moved into COVID-19 Community Level Medium.
In Guam, the Joint Information Center was notified that the U.S. territory’s 374th COVID-19-related fatality was pronounced dead on arrival at the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam on July 13, 2022. The patient was a 54-year-old female, fully vaccinated with one booster, who tested positive on July 13.

“Our hearts go out to her friends and family during this difficult time. We wish them healing and peace,” said acting Guam governor Josh Tenorio. “To those who are sick with COVID-19, especially our vulnerable population, we urge you to take advantage of the treatments available to help you get better faster. Talk to your healthcare provider or call our COVID Hotline at 311, option 1.”
Guam’s Department of Public Health and Social Services also reported 96 new cases of COVID-19 from 2,057 specimens collected July 13, 2022. Ten of the new cases were reported through the Department of Defense.

To date, there have been a total of 53,459 officially reported cases in Guam, 374 deaths, 1,119 cases in active isolation, and 51,966 not in active isolation.
While the CNMI remains at COVID-19 Community Level Medium, residents are given the following guidelines:

• Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk

• If you are immunocompromised or have a high risk for severe disease:

– Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing)

– Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or knowing how to access testing)

– Talk to your health care provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and monoclonal antibodies

• If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease:

– Consider self-testing to detect infection before contact

– Consider wearing a mask when indoors with them

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces whenever possible

• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home and isolate when they are sick (except to get medical care), even if they do not have symptoms; rest; stay hydrated; can take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to relieve symptoms; and live COVID-19 safe.

Residents of the CNMI who test positive for COVID-19 may be eligible for treatment by reporting their positive test result online at www.staysafecnmi.com/self-reporting within 5 days of the test result date. Residents requesting COVID-19 treatment should fill out the medical questionnaire in the form to get assessed as soon as possible. Reporting a positive test result online also allows residents to obtain a certificate of quarantine completion, which employers/individuals may use as documentation of a positive test result.

Individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should stay home (except to get medical care or get tested for COVID-19) and live COVID-19 safe. Other options include seeing their health care provider or calling the CHCC Tele-Triage hotline at (670) 233-2067. For a guidebook on how to live COVID-19 safe, visit www.staysafecnmi.com/livecovidsafe.

CHCC continues to encourage the community to get vaccinated if they have not done so, or get their booster shot if they are eligible to help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, or death. People considered high risk (e.g., history of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, or cancer, or over the age of 65), immunocompromised persons, or unvaccinated individuals are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19. Unvaccinated individuals spread the virus at a higher rate than vaccinated individuals, thereby increasing the spread and risk of serious illness toward other unvaccinated individuals.

Stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccination, which includes additional doses for individuals who are immunocompromised or booster doses for those who are eligible. Register for COVID-19 vaccines at www.vaccinatecnmi.com, or call (670) 236-8745.

COVID-19 vaccines are now available for individuals aged 6 months – 4 years. Individuals aged 18 or older are eligible to avail of a booster shot; 5- to 17-year-olds can avail of a Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot. Individuals aged 50 or older or certain individuals who are immunocompromised can avail of a 2nd booster shot.

Data show that vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infection is waning after the primary series, but protection remains high against severe disease and hospitalization.
As of July 13, 2022, a total of 23,456 COVID-19 additional/booster vaccine shots have been administered; of the eligible population, 62.8% have received an additional dose. The vaccination rate is calculated using the 2020 Census population estimates for the CNMI and includes the eligible 5-years-old and older population.

A total of 2,124 COVID-19 tests were conducted July 3 – 9, 2022:

• 103 on July 3, 2022
• 491 on July 4, 2022
• 352 on July 5, 2022
• 148 on July 6, 2022
• 437 on July 7, 2022
• 505 on July 8, 2022
• 88 on July 9, 2022

Free COVID-19 testing is available by registering at https://covidtesting.chcc.health.
While you wait to get tested or for your test results, stay at home as much as possible and limit your contact with others. Live COVID-19 safe: wear your mask; wash your hands; watch your distance; avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces; cover coughs and sneezes; clean and disinfect high touch surfaces daily; be alert for symptoms daily; and get tested for COVID-19.