HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Guam lost four more lives on Sept. 8, raising the island’s death toll linked to Covid-19 to 159, the Joint Information Center confirmed Friday evening.
This is one of the highest numbers of deaths reported on Guam in one day since the pandemic began in March 2020.
All four deaths occurred on Sept. 8 at Naval Hospital Guam, according to JIC.
The vaccination status of the deceased was not known.
The Navy hospital reported the following to the government of Guam:
• A 64-year-old woman with unknown vaccination status was pronounced dead on arrival. It was not known whether she had underlying health conditions.
• A 57-year-old man with unknown vaccination status and unknown underlying health conditions died at the hospital.
• An adult woman, age unspecified, with unknown vaccination status and unknown underlying health conditions, was pronounced dead on arrival.
• A man, age unspecified, with unknown vaccination status and unknown underlying health conditions, was pronounced dead on arrival.
The deceased have been transferred to the chief medical examiner’s office. Additional information about their cases will be provided once it is available, according to JIC.
“Tonight, we are saddened by losing more brothers and sisters from our island community,” said Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero. “As (Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio), (first gentleman Jeff Cook), and I join the island in mourning, we must be reminded to take even the smallest of precautions to safeguard ourselves and all those we cherish, and we must all take these precautions together.”
Guam has seen a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in recent weeks as the Delta variant has spread in the community.
There were 193 new cases reported among the massive number of people — 2,444 — who showed up for testing Thursday.
Seventy-six people were hospitalized at the island’s hospitals. Seven were in intensive care units and two were on ventilators to help them breathe.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that approved Covid-19 vaccines in the United States will protect people from getting severely sick or dying.
The Delta variant has infected even fully vaccinated individuals, but the severity of their illness has not been as severe as that of those who haven’t been vaccinated, according to the CDC.
Monsignor James Benavente on Friday celebrates Mass at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña with special intention for those who died from Covid-19.
