JIC Release No. 277 - COVID-19 Cases Identified at Simon Sanchez and John F. Kennedy High Schools;Four Additional GPD Officers Test Positive for COVID-19 - GHS OCD

COVID-19 test results are reported from multiple labs at varying times of the day. The Joint Information Center will report cumulative COVID-19 test results once a day, unless unavailable.

For updated information on COVID-19 cases on Guam, visit the COVID-19 Dashboard and Situation Report at http://dphss.guam.gov/covid-19/.

COVID-19 Cases Identified at Simon Sanchez and John F. Kennedy High Schools
The Guam Department of Education (GDOE) is working closely with the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) to conduct contact tracing after a confirmed COVID-19 case was identified at both Simon Sanchez High School (SSHS) and John F. Kennedy High School (JFKHS).

On Thursday, August 20, 2020, the GDOE was notified that two employees, one at SSHS and one at JFKHS, tested positive for COVID-19. This is the second confirmed COVID-19 case identified at SSHS, with the first reported on August 12, 2020. Contact tracing efforts are ongoing, and close contacts of the confirmed cases will be contacted directly by DPHSS.

A close contact is an individual who has come in face-to-face contact with a confirmed COVID-19 individual for at least 10 minutes or more and within six feet, or who has had direct contact with infectious secretions of the confirmed COVID-19 individual (e.g. being coughed on). Both the confirmed cases and close contacts will not be permitted to return to campus until cleared by DPHSS.

Areas of the SSHS and JFKHS campuses have been identified for cleaning and disinfecting and will be off limits to personnel until those processes are complete.

All GDOE employees are reminded to adhere to health and safety protocols while on campus. Not only are schools cleaned and sanitized daily, but other safety precautions are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to include the following: required face coverings for all students and staff; temperature screening upon arrival; 6 feet physical distancing; regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and common areas; and encouraging employees to wash hands and sanitize often.

Four Additional GPD Officers Test Positive for COVID-19
On Thursday, August 20, 2020, the Guam Police Department (GPD) was made aware of four additional police officers who had tested positive for COVID-19. The officers are currently in home isolation. The four officers are assigned to GPD’s specialized unit and have minimal contact with the greater community.

GPD is working alongside DPHSS with ongoing contact tracing and assures the community that all mitigation needs are being done to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 within GPD. All GPD personnel who have been identified as close contact with all confirmed positive cases are in home quarantine and await COVID-19 test results.

With the recently confirmed four cases, a total of nine police officers have now tested positive for COVID-19. Although the Guam Police Department has seen an uptick with positive COVID-19 cases within the past few days, this does not affect operations in providing the needs for the community.

For the latest information on COVID-19, visit dphss.guam.gov or guamrecovery.com. For inquiries on COVID-19, contact 311 through a local number, or call the Joint Information Center at (671)478-0208/09/10.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC Release No. 277 - COVID-19 Cases Identified at Simon Sanchez and John F. Kennedy High Schools;Four Additional GPD Officers Test Positive for COVID-19