JIC RELEASE NO. 314 - Twentieth COVID-19 Related Fatality Reported;Older Adults and People with Serious Chronic Medical Conditions are Most at Risk - GHS OCD

The Joint Information Center was notified that Guam’s twentieth COVID-19-related fatality occurred at the Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH) this afternoon at approximately 12:00 p.m. (ChST). The patient was a 60-year-old female with comorbidities that were compounded by COVID-19. She was admitted to GMH on August 27 after testing positive at Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC) that same day.

"Jeff, Lt. Governor Josh, and I join this woman's family and friends in mourning for her loss and in remembrance for the life she lived,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. “This virus has taken too much too soon. All of us need to do what we can to protect our loved ones and our entire island community. Do what we know works: stay home, wear your masks, and wash your hands. That is how we can end this fight.”

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 information on COVID-19 cases, visit the COVID-19 Dashboard and Situation Report at http://dphss.guam.gov/covid-19/. The COVID-19 Dashboard is updated on business days.

Older Adults and People with Serious Chronic Medical Conditions are Most at Risk
Older adults and individuals with serious chronic medical conditions have a higher risk of getting very sick with COVID-19. Serious chronic medical conditions include:

Heart disease
Diabetes
Lung disease

Symptoms of COVID-19
Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. Older adults and people who have severe

underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk

for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild

symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fever
Chills
Muscle pain
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell

This list is not exhaustive of all possible symptoms. Other less common symptoms have been

reported, including gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

If you are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, please call your health care provider. If a patient does not have a regular health care provider, they can call any of the Community Health Centers or the DPHSS Medical Triage Hotline Phone Numbers listed below, to report symptoms and obtain guidance from clinicians, or call 311 and dial option number 1.

(671) 480-7859/83 ● (671) 685-0358
(671) 480-6760/3 ● (671) 998-4442/60/74/80
(671) 687-7321 ● (671) 687-6170 (ADA Dedicated Number)

If you are severely ill, call 911 immediately.

The medical triage hotline is available Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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. 314 - Twentieth COVID-19 Related Fatality Reported;Older Adults and People with Serious Chronic Medical Conditions are Most at Risk