With around 2,000 people entering the CNMI — many for the very first time — the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp reported that two athletes have tested positive for Covid-19.
Athletes were provided with daily Covid-19 antigen swabs by the Covid-19 Task Force, and are expected to swab daily and report any positive cases to contact tracers.
“We’ve seen a small uptick in [Covid-19] positive cases…so I think that it means for all of us that we should be taking extra precautions to ensure that we personally can stay safe, and that our community stays safe,” said Dr Lily Muldoon, CHCC medical director of public health and emergency medicine physician, on Friday.
“CHCC has set up some precautions to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Unfortunately, right now, we’re also seeing some community spread, even before all of these visitors have arrived,” she added.
She said this can primarily be done by wearing masks, especially when with a group of people outside of one’s household.
Muldoon also recommended that individuals at high risk of contracting Covid-19 — such as those with hypertension, diabetes, or cancer — avoid high-risk or crowded areas to ensure their personal safety.
“We also recommend that if you have access to a self-antigen swab test to test before going into any crowded areas,” she said. “And, of course, if you have symptoms, stay home and get tested.”
Muldoon said, “If anybody tests positive, we can help connect them to different therapeutics if they qualify for treatment for Covid-19. And then, of course, our [emergency room] is open 24 hours a day and if anybody needs care, we are there to take care of them.”
CHCC said as of June 21, 2022, there were three individuals hospitalized as a result of Covid-19.
CHCC said 78 additional individuals had been confirmed positive for Covid-19, bringing the CNMI total to 11,569 cases since March 28, 2020. Nine additional cases were identified on 11 – 12 June, 2022.
CHCC said of the total cases identified, as of 19 June 2022, there had been 11,477 recoveries, 58 active cases, and 34 Covid-19-related deaths.
SOURCE: MARIANAS VARIETY/PACNEWS
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