JIC RELEASE NO. 43 - Third COVID-19 Related Death; Profiles of Earlier Confirmed Cases; COVID-19 Hotline Available; DPHSS Updates - GHS OCD

On Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 11:58 a.m. (ChST), Guam’s third COVID-19-related death occurred at the Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH). The patient was 81 years old with underlying health issues, which were compounded by COVID-19. The patient had no recent travel history but initial investigations indicate the patient may have contracted COVID-19 from community contact.

DPHSS tested 28 individuals for COVID-19 on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 with conclusive results. Nine (9) tested positive through DPHSS and 19 tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. The DPHSS overall count also includes four positive cases that were tested by the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) in San Diego. Additional results will be provided later this evening once today’s test results are finalized.

Preliminary Profiles of Confirmed Cases

Most of Guam COVID-19 known positive cases have epidemiological links to other confirmed cases. Profiles of the 69 confirmed cases, which includes reports of four positive confirmed cases that DPHSS received from the U.S. Naval Hospital that was tested through the Department of Defense and sent off island:

STATUS

GENDER

RESIDENTIAL LOCATION

TRAVEL HISTORY*

AGE GROUP

3 deceased
7 recovered

59 in isolation

35 male

34 female

23 from the north

31 from central

11 from the south

2 homeless

2 pending

8 - Philippines

2 - U.S. Mainland

1 - Hawaii

1 - Japan

1 - Singapore

*Some cases traveled to more than one country

1 is in their 90s

3 are in their 80s

6 are in their 70s

21 are in their 60s

13 are in their 50s

11 are in their 40s

8 are in their 30s

6 are in their 20s

COVID-19 Related Inquiries - Call 311

In order to address COVID-19 related inquiries, the Office of the Governor has launched a hotline for COVID-19 related inquiries. Local numbers can call 311 and be patched through the following menu:

Medical questions regarding COVID-19 (DPHSS Nurse Triage)

Operational daily, from 6 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Report a business in violation of the Social Isolation Directive (Department of Revenue & Taxation)

Operational Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Report an individual in violation of the Social Isolation Directive (Guam Police Department)

Operational 24/7

Business owner with questions on economic relief (Guam Economic Development Authority)

Operational Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Employment and unemployment guidance (Department of Labor)

Operational Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Counseling Hotline (Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center)

Operational 24/7

General Inquiries (Joint Information Center)

Operational Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Callers from a non-local number can contact the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/9/10, operational Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

COVID-19 Guidance for Employers

DPHSS provides guidance for employers from both the Government of Guam and the private sector for employees who were advised to quarantine for reasons related to COVID-19.

There is no official quarantine order or document served to employees who complete their 14-day self-quarantine. Once the 14-day self-quarantine period is complete, the employee’s health care provider should conduct an evaluation prior to allowing the employee to return back to work. A doctor’s note is not required unless the clinician answers “no” to the question, “Was the employee free from symptoms of COVID-19 during the 14-days?” To download Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 2020-05, visit the DPHSS website at http://dphss.guam.gov/covid-19-general-resources/.

DPHSS Extends Expiration Dates of Controlled Substances Registration

The DPHSS Division of Environmental Health today announces that current holders of the Guam Controlled Substances Registration (CSR), which authorizes them to manufacture, distribute, or dispense (pharmaceutical) controlled substances, whose CSR is expiring in April, May, June, and July of this year will have their expiration date extended to September 30, 2020.

Submission of renewal application and fee for these registrants are not required. Any physician or institution seeking a new CSR will still need to apply and pay all applicable fees. For any questions, please contact the Division of Environmental Health at 300-9568.

For inquiries on COVID-19, local numbers can call 311 or contact the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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. 43 - Third COVID-19 Related Death; Profiles of Earlier Confirmed Cases; COVID-19 Hotline Available; DPHSS Updates