COVID-19 in the CNMI: A year later

A year ago yesterday, March 28, the CNMI saw its first two cases of COVID-19. Just two days later, one of those two died.

This year, the CNMI is leading the nation in COVID-19 vaccination rates, with 20% of the population fully vaccinated and with more COVID-19 vaccines on the way, according to Delegate Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Ind-MP).

As of March 28, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. reported 26,433 people have already been vaccinated. This includes 15,332 people who have already gotten their first shot and 11,101 who got their second shot and thus completed the vaccine series.

Sablan said in a Facebook post that 31,155 people in the CNMI could be fully vaccinated by the end of April.

Within this week, the CNMI will receive 11,700 doses of the Pfizer/BioBTech COVID-19 vaccine, 5,000 doses of the Moderna Inc. vaccine, and 5,000 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine, he added.

Case No. 147 identified through medical referral

Speaking at the governor’s media briefing last March 26, CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muña said that COVID-19 positive case No. 147, which was the CNMI’s first local case of the coronavirus in 204 days, was identified on March 12 through pre-travel testing. Muña said the individual was asymptomatic and was fully vaccinated two months before contracting COVID-19.

Muña said CHCC, the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force, and contact tracers identified 182 unique persons, which led to the identification of 10 people who were positive for COVID-19. Of the remaining 172, 165 were identified to have “sufficient level” of contact, but fortunately, there were no additional cases that were identified.

Muña said the other 10 people who did test positive were symptomatic with the dates ranging from 12 days to one day, with an average of five days before getting laboratory confirmation.

Muña and Villagomez on COVID-19 response

Prior to the CNMI seeing its first familial cluster last March 13, Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force chair Warren Villagomez attributed the CNMI’s low infection numbers to the CNMI’s strong leadership, preventive measures, and the cooperation of the community, allowing the CNMI to control the spread of COVID-19.

Villagomez said paper health declaration forms, entry screening process, health questionnaire of potential symptoms (not only for COVID-19 but general illnesses) quarantine and first and fifth-day testing helped identify cases early.

Muña also said the COVID-19 response will help the hospital focus on other health issues in the CNMI. “With more people vaccinated and more support for the health system, I see us focused on other health issues that’s affecting our community. We need to use a similar mindset in addressing health issues with how we address a COVID-19 case in the community,” said Muña.

Villagomez said the CNMI wouldn’t have been successful in handling the pandemic—with low community transmission—if a strong collaborative effort wasn’t established last year.

“Our response to COVID-19 was successful with Gov. Torres’ leadership…as well as Lt. Gov. [Arnold I. Palacios]. …We meet daily, if not in person then Zoom and we are utilizing every effort of communication network to make sure that we are aligned with each other,” said Villagomez.

He also commended the governor’s authorized representative, Patrick Guerrero, for his assistance in bringing in COVID-19 testing kits, COVID-19 vaccines and refrigerators, and all personal protective equipment.