JIC RELEASE NO. 287 - Two More PAG Employees Confirmed Positive for COVID-19;Five COVID-19 Cases Identified at Four GDOE Schools - 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/.

Two More PAG Employees Confirmed Positive for COVID-19
Aggressive contact tracing efforts by the Port Authority of Guam (PAG), in close coordination with the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS), has led to the identification of two more employees positive with COVID-19. This brings the Port’s total to three employees affected by COVID-19.

The three employees remain in home isolation and their work areas have been deep cleaned. Contact tracing and testing for the first two COVID-19 positives are done, which resulted in identifying the third COVID-19 positive through testing.

The PAG worked closely with DPHSS to coordinate testing of all employees, identified by immediate contact tracing efforts. To date, 126 Port employees have been tested by the DPHSS.

The Port Authority of Guam remains operational.

Five COVID-19 Cases Identified at Four GDOE 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 Marcial Sablan Elementary School, Simon Sanchez High School and John F. Kennedy High School. Two COVID-19 cases were also identified at Astumbo Middle School.

Over the weekend and on Monday, August 24, 2020, the GDOE was notified that five total employees from the aforementioned schools tested positive for COVID-19. Four of these employees were identified and tested as part of contact tracing efforts. This brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at the GDOE to 14. 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).

Areas at each of the campuses have been identified for cleaning and disinfecting. Under the current executive order, GDOE employees are teleworking and will not have access to campuses until cleaning has been completed.

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. 287 - Two More PAG Employees Confirmed Positive for COVID-19;Five COVID-19 Cases Identified at Four GDOE Schools