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By Pacific island Times News Staff

Guam's positivity rate up 20.8%, second highest in the US

Guam recorded its 59th Covid-19 related death today as the number of positive cases has gone up to 3,056.

The Joint Information Center reported 67 new positive cases from 321 samples tested Friday, indicating a jump in positivity rate to 20.87 percent from 12.9 percent the day before.

Guam currently has the second highest positivity rate in the United States, following Idaho, which had 24.4 percent, according to Becker's Hospital Review. South Dakota came third with 20.1 percent.

The latest fatality was a 73-year-old man, who died at the Guam Memorial Hospital at approximately 2:13 p.m. He had underlying health conditions compounded by Covid-19 and was admitted to GMH on Sept. 26. The patient was confirmed as a positive case earlier that day through the Department of Public Health and Social Services.

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“To his family and friends, Jeff, Lt. Governor Josh, and I offer our heartfelt condolences and sympathies. Our entire island community shares in your sorrow,” said Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero. “This virus has shown us no mercy—now is not the time to be complacent. All of us have a role to play in this pandemic, and I ask everyone to do whatever they can to prevent any more days of sorrow.”

To date, there have been a total of 3,056 officially reported cases of Covid-19 with 59 deaths, 926 cases in active isolation and 2,072 not in active isolation.

With an increasing Covid-19 census at the Guam Memorial Hospital, the Covid isolation facility was opened on Friday, Oct. 9.

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Located at the Skilled Nursing Facility in Barrigada Heights, the site will be used to treat stable, acute/subacute Covid-19 patients.

Three patients were transferred on Friday, with assessments being made for additional transfers later today. The isolation will provide decompression of Covid medical beds within the hospital and will also allow for continued aggressive physical rehabilitation. CIF capacity, at this time, is approximately 20 beds.

The Guam Public Library System has announced that the Hagåtña Library and Archival Center will be closed until further notice due to an employee who tested positive for Covid19.

GPLS staff will not return to work until proper sanitization has been completed and cleared for re-entry of employees. GPLS is working closely with the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) to conduct contact tracing and any close contacts of the confirmed cases will be contacted directly by DPHSS.

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On Oct. 9, DPHSS issued a new guidance memo relative to the minimum requirements for religious congregations.

  • Congregational singing is prohibited; however, a soloist with instrumentalists, with each instrumentalist spaced six feet apart while wearing face mask, or recorded music, is permitted.

  • Soloist must wear a face mask when not singing.

  • Soloist is encouraged to not face the congregants or other individuals and use a microphone while singing.

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