Zero COVID cases right now

The last individual who tested positive for COVID-19 in the CNMI has already recovered and been released from the Kanoa Resort quarantine site in Susupe. The individual is now back home while being monitored by the Commonwealth Health Center.

Press secretary Kevin Bautista confirmed that, as of yesterday, April 27, there is no persons under investigation in the CNMI. This means that there is currently no positive COVID-19 case in the Commonwealth.

Additionally, Esther Muña, Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. chief executive officer, said that all Commonwealth Health Center personnel have tested negative for COVID-19. Muña said it was a relief to see all the tests came back negative.

Dee, who agreed to speak on the condition that she not be identified, is relieved that the last person who was positive for coronavirus has now recovered. “I’m relieved because my parents have multiple health conditions and now I don’t have to really worry as much as I did once the first couple of cases were announced,” she said.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force will continue their efforts on community-based testing and will coincide with efforts to reopen the economy as they discussed during yesterday’s Fiscal Response Summit closing plenary session. Keeping public health in mind will mandate how the government will open up the economy in phases and how they will implement the changes to the CNMI’s fiscal structure, Bautista said.

“The goal is to be COVID-19-free and ensure that our government and economy can safely reopen to generate revenue,” she added. “Federal assistance is well on its way, and we look forward to making sure the Marianas gets relief it needs during this pandemic.”

Although there is no active case right now, Muña advised that everyone still has to be cautious.

Torres and the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force continue to work on other precautionary measures to make sure there’s no second wave of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases.

As of April 28, there have been a total of 14 confirmed positive cases in the CNMI. Two have died and 12 others have recovered and released while being advised to continue practicing good hygiene and social distancing.

COVID-19 in Guam

The Department of Public Health and Social Services tested 38 individuals for COVID-19 on Monday, April 27. Two tested positive through DPHSS and 36 tested negative.

According to the Joint Information Center in Guam, one additional case tested positive through the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam and was reported earlier yesterday.

The DPHSS overall count also includes probable cases of COVID-19 and confirmed positive cases tested by the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego, California, the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority, the Guam National Guard, and Diagnostic Laboratory Services.

To date, Guam has 144 confirmed case, with five deaths, and 128 released from isolation.