The CNMI had its deadliest week yet with the COVID-19 pandemic, recording four successive deaths that raised the CNMI pandemic death toll from 14 last Jan. 1, 2022, to 18 as of yesterday.<\/p>\n
The Governor\u2019s COVID-19 Task Force and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. first confirmed the CNMI\u2019s\u00a015th, 16th, and 17th\u00a0COVID-19-related deaths in a news release late Jan. 2, 2022, and the 18th fatality yesterday morning. CHCC will soon be releasing more information of the latest fatalities.<\/p>\n
Also, 10\u00a0cases have been confirmed positive for COVID-19\u00a0from surveillance and travel testing on\u00a0Dec.\u00a028, 2021,\u00a0and Jan. 1, 2022,\u00a0bringing the CNMI total to\u00a03,297\u00a0cases since March 28, 2020. The individuals have been isolated and are actively monitored.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of the\u00a010\u00a0cases,\u00a0nine\u00a0were identified on\u00a0Jan. 1, 2022,\u00a0and\u00a0one\u00a0on Dec. 28, 2021;\u00a0one\u00a0was\u00a0identified via contact tracing,\u00a0eight\u00a0were identified via community testing, and\u00a0one\u00a0was\u00a0identified via travel testing.\u00a0 The vaccination statuses of the\u00a010\u00a0cases identified are pending verification.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As of\u00a0Jan. 1, 2022, there have been\u00a02,332\u00a0recoveries,\u00a0663\u00a0active cases,\u00a0and\u00a018\u00a0deaths of the cases identified since Oct. 28, 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As of\u00a0Jan. 2, 2022, there\u00a0were\u00a015\u00a0individuals hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 (seven unvaccinated,\u00a0eight\u00a0vaccinated;\u00a0and three\u00a0on a ventilator). Four have been\u00a0discharged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to the CHCC news release, unvaccinated individuals are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and unvaccinated individuals spread the virus at a higher rate than vaccinated individuals, thereby increasing the spread and risk of serious illness toward other unvaccinated individuals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vaccines are the best protection against the highly transmissible virus, and are readily available at the Multi-Purpose Center, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, and Saturday, 8am to 4pm. Register for COVID-19 vaccines at\u00a0www.vaccinatecnmi.com.\u00a0Individuals\u00a0age 18 or older are now eligible to avail of a booster shot; 16-\u00a0and\u00a017-year-olds can avail of a Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The CHCC highly encourages unvaccinated individuals to get vaccinated or get a booster shot against COVID-19 to help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Data from small clinical trials show that vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infection is waning after the primary series, but protection remains high against severe disease and hospitalization.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since Oct. 28, 2021,\u00a0there have been\u00a03,006\u00a0new cases, of which\u00a01,489\u00a0were identified via contact tracing,\u00a01,447\u00a0were identified via community testing, and\u00a070\u00a0were identified via travel testing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A total of\u00a067\u00a0COVID-19 tests were conducted\u00a0on\u00a0Jan. 1, 2022, which comprises travel testing and surveillance testing but does not include DFEMS testing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To register for community-based testing,\u00a0visit\u00a0https:\/\/covidtesting.chcc.health. No code is required to register. If there are no dates showing, it means all spots have been filled. More dates will be announced.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While you wait to get tested or for your test results, stay at home as much as possible and limit your contact with others.\u00a0Live COVID-19 safe: wear your mask; wash your hands; watch your distance; avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces; cover coughs and sneezes; clean and disinfect high touch surfaces daily; be alert for symptoms daily; and get tested for COVID-19.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The CHCC Communicable Disease Investigation\/Inspection team has already initiated contact tracing for the most immediate contacts of the newly confirmed cases, and this effort will continue until all probable cases are identified and tested.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Our contact tracers will reach out to you if you are deemed high risk. The associated risk of infection depends on the level of exposure, which will, in turn, determine the type of monitoring. Establishing the level of exposure can be difficult and requires investigation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you have concerns regarding a possible exposure to a positive case, call our contact tracers at (670) 285-1942, 286-1710, or 286-1711.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, new loss of taste or smell, etc.), see your provider or call the CHCC Tele-Triage hotline at (670) 233-2067.\u00a0(Saipan Tribune)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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