Of the last 23 positive COVID-19 cases reported in the CNMI, 15 were vaccinated, which means they are considered \u201cbreakthrough cases\u201d\u2014the term used when vaccinated people are infected by the COVID-19 virus.<\/p>\n
This was learned from the Commonwealth Health Care Corp. last Sunday, with information that the total number of breakthrough cases in the CNMI will be shared sometime later, as CHCC\u2019s team of investigators reviews past records. <\/p>\n
Separately, CHCC chief executive officer Esther Mu\u00f1a said last Friday that CHCC has been sharing its recent findings on \u201cbreakthrough cases\u201d of COVID-19 in the CNMI with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as these cases have been the recent focus of nationwide studies conducted by the CDC. Even as fully vaccinated individuals test positive for COVID-19, being vaccinated mostly protects these individuals from severe illnesses and hospitalizations, according to CDC.<\/p>\n
During a virtual news briefing last Friday, Mu\u00f1a explained that although fully vaccinated individuals are reporting as positive for COVID-19, being fully vaccinated has mostly protected these individuals from the worst of the virus.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CDC has found that even with these breakthrough cases, there is less severe illnesses, less hospitalizations for those that are vaccinated,\u201d said Mu\u00f1a.<\/p>\n
Mu\u00f1a said that breakthrough cases thus far have only been found in incoming travelers, and dispelled rumors that CHCC recently \u201crounded up\u201d community members because they tested positive for COVID-19. Mu\u00f1a said the individuals were \u201crounded up\u201d for the safety of the community, and added that all of these contacts have tested negative.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo far, all these cases that we\u2019ve identified are travelers. I know there were some rumors going on that we rounded up people that were positive. \u2026It\u2019s just a precaution, we want to protect the community. \u2026We rounded up contacts [of positive travelers], and are assessing them now to release those individuals who are low [risk], and they were all negative so far,\u201d said Mu\u00f1a.<\/p>\n
CDC defines a \u201cbreakthrough case\u201d as the detection of COVID-19 or antigen in a respiratory specimen collected from a person more than 14 days after they have completed all recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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