The Joint Information Center reported 85 new Covid-19 positive cases out of 619 samples tested on Oct. 22. The number of hospitalization has gone up to 77, with 17 in ICU.
Guam's Covid-19 cumulative tally, including previous cases since March 14, is 4,141, accounting for 2.4 percent of the island's population. The death toll was 69 as of Oct. 22. Among the postive cases, 1,569 cases in active isolation and 2,503 not in active isolation.
At the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority, two additional employees have tested positive for Covid-19. This marks GHURA’s third employee to test positive for the virus, and all remain on leave status.
Earlier this week, GHURA initiated contact tracing efforts following its first confirmed case. Testing was offered to all employees on Wednesday, resulting in the identification of the two additional cases. Preliminary investigations show the virus was not contracted at the worksite.
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The governor's office said the GHURA office has been deep cleaned and sanitized and cleared for employees to return to work. There will be no disruption in services.
On Friday, Oct. 23, the Guam Police Department reported that a civilian support employee assigned to GPD's Police Dispatch had tested positive for Covid-19. The employee is currently in home isolation and GPD is working with DPHSS contact tracers and case investigators.
To allow for deep cleaning and sanitizing of the 911 Dispatch Center, Police Dispatch operations will be moved to GPD Headquarters in Tiyan and the Guam Fire Department’s (GFD) 911 Center will be moved to GFD headquarters in Hagåtña. The temporary relocation of the center will not impact emergency dispatch services.
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At the Port Authority of Guam, Covid-19 continued to spread among employees. The contact tracing team has identified another port employee positive for Covid-19, bringing the total to 19.
Port General Manager Rory J. Respicio said the latest employee to test positive stayed home from work since the onset of symptoms and as a result there are no additional employees identified as potential close contacts with this latest case.
In total, the port contact tracing team has been able to identify 396 cases of employee close contact exposure and has coordinated testing for all exposures with DPHSS.
“We are keeping our Port strong family members who are sick in our thoughts and prayers every day and we look forward to their full recovery and return to work,” Respicio said.
