Saipan- The CNMI has confirmed two new Covid-19 positive patients, bringing to eight the tot number of coronavirus cases in the commonwealth.
These two new cases include two men, aged 55 and 31, who have no recent travel history. Both are in stable condition and remain in isolation. They are being closely monitored by CHCC medical teams, according to CNMI officials.
CHCC has already initiated contact tracing for the most immediate contacts (close family members, friends, and associates) of all confirmed cases.
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 recent 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 have been infected within our community and not just imported from another COVID-19 outbreak jurisdiction.
At the White House, President Donald J. Trump has declared that a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and ordered federal assistance to supplement the local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Covid-19 from Jan. 20 and
“Federal funding is available to Commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, for all areas in the commonwealth impacted by Covid,-19, the White House announced.
Meanwhile, 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.
As of April 2, 2020, the CNMI has submitted 33 specimens for COVID-19 testing to the Guam Public Health Laboratory. Of these 33 specimens, 23 have been processed, resulting in eight positive specimens and 15 negative specimens.'
CHCC awaits the results of nine more specimens.
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