HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The deaths of three more Guamanians have been linked to Covid-19, according to the Joint Information Center Monday.
The three patients were vaccinated.
• The 271st fatality was pronounced dead on arrival at the Guam Memorial Hospital on Dec. 24, 2021. The patient was a 76-year-old woman who had underlying health conditions. She tested positive on Dec. 24, 2021.
• The 272nd Covid-19-related fatality was pronounced dead on arrival at the Guam Regional Medical City on Dec. 31, 2021. The patient was a 58-year-old man who tested positive that day.
• The 273rd Covid-19-related fatality occurred at GMH on Jan. 1, 2022. The patient was a 47-year-old woman who had underlying health conditions. She tested positive on Jan. 2.
The island’s Covid-19-related fatalities rose to 273.
Officials continue to urge residents to get vaccinated and take other precautions. The island’s health care system also is seeing an increase in non-Covid-19-related patients, according to health officials who fear an increase in Covid-19 cases could overwhelm the island’s hospitals and clinics.
The JIC also reported eight Covid-19 patients are hospitalized. None of the patients are in intensive care units.
GMH: ‘Beds becoming full’
GMH spokesperson Mai Habib said the public hospital is seeing an increase in non-Covid-19 cases.
“Our overall patient census is very high and our (emergency room) has been slammed with non-Covid patients. Our beds are becoming more full, which means a delay in admissions/ER holding (for cases that are) non-Covid related,” Habib stated. “It’s still flu season and there’s the regular flu, plus pre-existing co-morbidities among the population, compounded by the holidays — added eating, drinking, stress etc. We’re seeing a variety of illnesses and health concerns in our ER, again, non-Covid related.”
From Jan. 1 to 3, there were 82 cases confirmed cases of Covid-19.
JIC officials said 11 of the new positives confirmed on New Year’s Day were preliminarily reported over the weekend:
• Jan. 1: 64 positive cases of 578 tests
• Jan. 2: 11 positive cases of 54 tests
• Jan. 3: 7 positive cases of 267 tests
Based on these numbers, the daily positivity rates are: 11.1% for Jan. 1, 20.4% for Jan. 2 and 2.6% for Jan. 3.
The Covid-19 Area Risk score is 9.0, according to the JIC. GovGuam established 2.5 or lower as the safe score.
“We are concerned with seeing these numbers,” said DPHSS spokesperson Janela Carrera, referring to the increase in daily Covid-19 cases. She noted that cases reported in the last few days reflect the reduced testing over the holiday season.
“We are, of course, monitoring these cases, and the rising CAR Score, as well as the daily test positivity rate,” she said.
Carrera also noted, however, that there may have been a more relaxed atmosphere within the community as family and friends gathered to celebrate the holidays. This is indicated by clusters that have been found within the community.
‘We need to remain vigilant’
“We may have loosened up a little too much over the holidays so we have to remind ourselves that we need to remain vigilant,” she said.
Carrera reminded residents that ensuring safety from the SARS-CoV-2 isn’t about “one or the other.”
“It’s not, ‘if I’m wearing my mask and washing my hands constantly then I don’t need to get vaccinated.’ Protecting yourself and your family and friends from not getting infected really means all of this — washing hands, wearing your masks…practicing social distancing (and) getting vaccinated or your booster shot…. Not getting (the virus) means taking all of the public health steps available to you.”
Motorists form a long line as they wait at the drive thru Covid-19 testing site Monday in Tiyan, Guam.
