The CNMI has four new confirmed cases of Covid-19, according to the commonwealth government.
As of April 1, 2020, the CNMI has submitted 31 specimens for Covid-19 testing to the Guam Public Health Laboratory.
Of these 31 specimens, 19 have been processed, resulting in six positive cases and 13 negative cases. CHCC awaits the results of 12 specimens.
The four new cases include the 70-year-old male, who passed away on March 30, as well as three females, ages 14, 60, and 77 years old.
Some of these cases have come in contact with those who have a travel history from a location with confirmed Covid-19 cases. Other cases have had no travel history or no evident indication of coming in contact with someone who is positive for Covid-19.
This new finding of cases occurring among those without close contact is suggestive that Covid-19 community transmission is occurring on Saipan.
Community transmission means people may have been infected within our community and not just imported from another Covid -19 outbreak jurisdiction. CHCC has already initiated contact tracing for the most immediate contacts (close family members, friends, and associates) of these four confirmed cases. CHCC continues to work with the Governor’s Covid -19 Task Force to expand designated isolation areas to closely monitor the well-being of individuals with symptoms.