JIC RELEASE NO. 413 - 71st COVID-19-Related Fatality Reported; Cumulative Results: 34 Test Positive for COVID-19; Additional DYA Employee Tests Positive; Three GDOE Employees Tests Positive for COVID-19 - GHS OCD

The Joint Information Center was notified that Guam’s 71st COVID-19-related fatality occurred at the Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC) at approximately 2:07 p.m. The patient was a 67-year-old male with underlying health conditions that were compounded by COVID-19. He was admitted to GRMC on October 24 and tested positive upon admission.

“Jeff, Lt. Governor Josh, and I send his family and friends our sincerest condolences and sympathies. You remain in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. “My heart is heavy with emotion, and I continuously pray that we will never make another announcement. To the people of Guam, please continue to practice the necessary precautions to protect yourselves and your loved ones.”

The Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (GBHWC) has a Crisis Hotline that is available 24/7 at (671) 647-8833/4. For those feeling anxious, stressed, overwhelmed or are needing to talk to someone, GBHWC has experienced providers available and ready to assist the community with any heightened stress and anxiety experienced as a result of COVID-19.

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

Cumulative Results
To date, there have been a total of 4,175 officially reported cases of COVID-19 with 71 deaths, 1,601 cases in active isolation and 2,503 not in active isolation.

The following breakdown provides cumulative COVID-19 test results reported to the Joint Information Center on Saturday, October 24 and reflects results from Friday, October 23:

Laboratory	New Cases Reported on Saturday, October 24	Samples Tested on Friday, October 23	Total Negative Tests (March 12 - October 23)	Total Reported Cases (March 12 - October 24, 2020)
Department of Public Health & Social Services (DPHSS) Guam Public Health Laboratory (GPHL)	34	334	31,372	2,206
Department of Defense (DoD)	N/A	N/A	7,659	522
Diagnostic Laboratory Services (DLS)	N/A	N/A	8,221	643
Guam Memorial Hospital Authority (GMHA) Laboratory	N/A	N/A	5,546	306
Guam National Guard (GUNG) Laboratory	N/A	N/A	17	0
Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC) Laboratory	N/A	N/A	3,708	224
Private Clinics	N/A	N/A	2,272	252
Other Laboratories	N/A	N/A	N/A	2
Probable Case	N/A	N/A	270	20
AS OF 5:40 PM, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020	Total Confirmed: 34	Total Samples Tested: 334	Total Negative Tests: 59,065	Total COVID-19 Cases: 4,175

Additional DYA Employee Tests Positive
The Department of Youth Affairs (DYA) has been informed one officer has tested positive for COVID-19. This is DYA’s fifth employee to test positive for COVID-19, all of whom are on leave status. The latest officer to test positive did not report for duty since Saturday, October 17 and had been tested at their respective clinic. DYA has scheduled testing of personnel today. Results are forthcoming.

At this time, there are no residents displaying any symptoms of the virus. DYA continues

to follow guidance from the Department of Public Health and Social Services. The following precautions are in place:

All residents are to shelter-in-place.
All appointments for residents will be conducted over-the-phone or virtually.
Visitation for residents will continue to be conducted over-the-phone.
Parents of residents can contact 735-5033/5 to speak to a DYA Social Worker.
Staff and resident temperature and wellness checks will continue to be conducted and recorded during each shift.
Wearing a facemask will continue to be required for all staff and residents.
Increased sanitation and disinfection of units will occur more frequently each shift.
Incoming staff must wash their hands upon entry into the facility; both staff and clients will wash and sanitize their hands frequently throughout the day.

Three GDOE Employees Tests Positive for COVID-19
On Saturday, October 24, 2020, the Guam Department of Education (GDOE) confirmed that three GDOE employees from B.P. Carbullido Elementary School, Ordot Chalan Pago Elementary School and Finegayan Elementary School tested positive for COVID-19. Two of the three cases were identified through contact tracing efforts. The GDOE is working closely with DPHSS to conduct contact tracing and any close contacts of the confirmed cases will be contacted directly.

Areas of the campuses will be cleaned and disinfected as needed. Employees will not have access to these areas until cleaning has been completed. Hard copy packet and food distribution will continue uninterrupted.

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. 413 - 71st COVID-19-Related Fatality Reported; Cumulative Results: 34 Test Positive for COVID-19; Additional DYA Employee Tests Positive; Three GDOE Employees Tests Positive for COVID-19