CNMI total now at 54 cases

One more person tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, this time not an incoming traveler but an individual who was identified through contact tracing from the 50th case, raising the CNMI’s total number of positive cases to 54.

Meanwhile, the mass testing, called CNMI Community-Based Testing Initiative, will resume for the next four weeks starting today, Aug. 19, 2020.

Since April 28, 2020, the CNMI’s mass tests have tested a total of 12,681 people for COVID-19 on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. This is approximately 24% of the CNMI’s population.

In the latest case, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force said that CHCC has begun contact tracing for the most immediate contacts such as family members and friends of the new confirmed case.

CHCC confirms that the individual is in the designated isolation where they can closely monitor the individual. “These findings underscore the value of rapid field investigation, which relies heavily on truthfulness of the community,” said a statement attributed to CHCC and the task force.

Meanwhile, IFASHION management has issued a statement in reaction to a video going around on social media that claims that the recent positive case is from the IFASHION Salon and Spa in Garapan. They said they requested that their salon be sanitized yesterday for staff and customers’ safety, and that all IFASHION’s staff have tested negative as of Aug. 17. “To all our customers that visited us recently, you can have yourself checked also if you are in doubt and for your safety,” said management.

Since the 50th and 54th cases are linked, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres says that he will not hesitate to implement again the restrictions that were imposed last March 28, and will be “happy” to do so in order to safeguard the public health of the community if the situation gets worse.

At the media briefing yesterday, Torres spoke about calculating risks and the possibility of changing policies, directives, and protocols, to keep up with the many moving factors concerning the pandemic, with the spike that has been happening, on and off-island.

“When I say happy to do it, I’m not saying that, okay, I’m happy to close it. No, I’m saying that I will not hesitate to shut the government, shut down the community, if that’s what it takes…to safeguard the public health,” said Torres. “We’re seeing more numbers coming in, inbound travelers and getting positive cases. Then we have had our Case 50, and even looking around our region, we are seeing a spike up in South Korea. That’s something that we should all look at.”

In Guam, there have been a total of 577 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with five deaths, 353 released from isolation, and 219 active cases. Of those cases, 503 are classified as civilians and 74 are military service members.  

Torres acknowledges that decisions to shut down the government and community will have to be based on the recommendations of CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muna, the Department of Homeland Security, and the task force. (With Iva Maurin)