FOUR unvaccinated individuals are hospitalized at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and receiving ICU level of care due to low blood oxygen levels, CHCC chief executive officer Esther L. Muna said Monday.
The individuals are at least 50 years of age, and some of them have known underlying medical conditions prior to hospitalization.
“We’re working to try to make sure that they recover from it,” Muna said.
Two other individuals are also under observation and have been admitted at the alternate care site at Kanoa Resort.
Muna said there are four Covid-19 units for patients at the hospital, all of which are in use by the four hospitalized unvaccinated individuals.
As of Monday, CHCC said, the CNMI had reported 787 positive Covid-19 cases since March 28, 2020.
“What we’re seeing right now is that more individuals are having severe symptoms and these are all unvaccinated,” Muna said. “The ones that we are seeing that have less severe symptoms are the vaccinated…. What we are also seeing are the effects or how vaccination works, at least with preventing hospitalization and severe illness.”
She emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated and practicing the three Ws. She also noted that more individuals have been getting vaccinated recently.
“We also want to ask people to mask up. The most vulnerable time when you can get infected is hanging out with your friends and your families in a setting where you don’t have a mask on because they’re your friends, they’re your family…. But unfortunately, that’s where it’s spreading,” she said.
Muna added that the Covid-19 transmission in the CNMI is now widespread.
To register for Covid-19 vaccines or booster shots, visit www.vaccinatecnmi.com
To register for community-based testing, visit https://covidtesting.chcc.health
If you have concerns regarding possible exposure to a positive case, call the CHCC contact tracers no later than 9 p.m. at (670) 285-1942 or (670) 286-1710/29.
If you are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, or new loss of taste or smell, see your provider or call the CHCC Tele-Triage hotline at 233-2067.
