74 new cases; 1.6K recoveries

A total of 74 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on Dec. 20, bringing the CNMI’s total to 2,580, according to the latest news release from the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. on Tuesday night.

CHCC also reported that, as of Dec. 20, there have been 1,606 recoveries, 678 active cases, and five COVID-19-related deaths of the cases that have been identified since Oct. 28.

As of Dec. 21, there are 10 who are hospitalized for COVID-19: seven who are unvaccinated and three who are vaccinated. Two of the 10 are on ventilators.

The CNMI’s vaccination rate now stands at 92.5% as of 6:48pm yesterday.

Of the 74 new cases, 29 were found through contact tracing, 42 through community testing, and three through travel testing. The vaccination statuses of the 74 were pending verification as of Tuesday night, said CHCC.

CHCC reported a total of 487 COVID-19 vaccine shots were administered on Dec. 21, bringing the CNMI’s vaccination rate to 92.2%. Registering for COVID-19 vaccines can be done at www.vaccinatecnmi.com.

CHCC also reported that a total of 475 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Dec. 20, comprising travel and surveillance testing, not including the 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/.

DOC situation

Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force chair Warren F. Villagomez said the task force has been coordinating with the Department of Corrections about the COVID-19 cases that were identified at DOC.

In a guest appearance during Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ radio news briefing on Tuesday, Villagomez said the task force has recommended to DOC to move infected individuals away from infected sites at DOC and move them to sterile sites. Villagomez further recommended that DOC perform full evaluations to ensure that non-infected individuals within DOC do not come in contact with infected individuals. The goal, he said, is to contain the cases and keep the DOC general population safe.

Villagomez said that Corrections Commissioner Wally Villagomez has since set up two dome tents at DOC that will serve as a screening site for all arrestees, potential detainees, and inmates showing COVID-19-like or flu-like symptoms.

For more proactive measures, Warren Villagomez said that the Corrections commissioner asked for on-site health care providers at DOC to conduct daily health checks on individuals inside DOC and added that air scrubbers and high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filters have been installed on the premises to ensure proper ventilation.

During a House of Representatives session earlier this week, vice speaker Blas Jonathan T. Attao (R-Saipan) disclosed to fellow lawmakers DOC’s ongoing situation. Blas said that several Corrections officers and inmates had tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in a severe manpower shortage at DOC.