The CNMI Office of the Governor\u2014alongside the Governor\u2019s COVID-19 Task Force and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.\u2014is urging the community to stop spreading misinformation about a recent WhatsApp message that is claiming that the delta variant is already on Saipan and is advising children to stay home. The CNMI\u2019s health policy leaders clarified that these claims are false. <\/p>\n
Also, COVID-19 Task Force chair Warren Villagomez said the government-run quarantine site at Mariana Resort & Spa has not been shut down; it remains on standby and fully ready for government use if needed.<\/p>\n
In a public advisory published on Wednesday, the CNMI\u2019s health policy leaders assured that they will always inform the community if there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the CNMI, and that the CNMI has the \u201ctools and personnel in place to safeguard our community.\u201d <\/p>\n
Additionally, the advisory reminded the community that WhatsApp messages and social media posts that are not directly from the task force or CHCC are unauthorized, untrue, and unverified. \u201cThe spread of misinformation can be more dangerous than the virus itself. The CNMI is reminded to only share verified, official information from the Task Force and CHCC,\u201d said the public advisory. <\/p>\n
In related news, three more incoming travelers were confirmed positive for COVID-19, according to the CHCC. The individuals were identified by travel screening and confirmed through fifth-day and arrival testing on Aug. 24. The individuals have been quarantined, and are being monitored. The cases bring the CNMI\u2019s total to 232 cases. <\/p>\n
CHCC also reported Wednesday that there is currently one active hospitalization related to COVID-19. <\/p>\n
As for the quarantine sites, Villagomez explained that the decision to put the Mariana Resort & Spa on standby was made in response to the recent influx of incoming travelers from the United States and Asia, after United Airlines began offering flights to Saipan every day at the start of this month. To avoid an overflow in Mariana Resort\u2019s limited room capacity, the task force shifted its priorities toward Saipan\u2019s larger-capacity hotels.<\/p>\n
Currently, incoming travelers are required to quarantine at either the Kanoa Resort Saipan or Pacific islands Club Saipan quarantine sites. <\/p>\n
\u201cMariana Resort is still identified as a government quarantine site if needed. If we need to activate it, it can still be used, but all passengers are going to PIC and Kanoa. We didn\u2019t close [the MR site] down because there\u2019s something wrong with it. It\u2019s because we don\u2019t have the [room] capacity with the number of flights that we\u2019re getting on a daily basis,\u201d said Villagomez.<\/p>\n
Citing upcoming holidays and more shifts in the CNMI\u2019s quarantine measures, Villagomez expects even larger influxes of incoming travelers in the future. <\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, anticipating upcoming holidays [and] shifts in our quarantine measures, there\u2019s a lot of factors that we\u2019re factoring in. We want to make sure that we have ample room for our inbound to protect our community from, any spread of [COVID-19] on-island,\u201d said Villagomez.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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