JIC RELEASE NO. 811 - Four COVID-19-related Fatalities Reported; COVID-19 Updates: 60 Hospitalized; 165 Test Positive; DPHSS COVID-19 Data Update Report; COVID-19 Community Testing to be Held at Micronesia Mall Thursday; Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Booster S

Four COVID-19-related Fatalities Reported
The Joint Information Center was notified of four (4) COVID-19-related fatalities reported by the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS). Three of the reported fatalities occurred between September 17 – October 3, 2021:

• The 205th COVID-19-related fatality was pronounced dead on arrival at the Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC) on October 3, 2021. The patient was a 72-year-old female, unvaccinated, with underlying health conditions. She tested positive on October 3. 
• The 206th COVID-19-related fatality occurred at the GRMC on October 4, 2021. The patient was a 63-year-old male, unvaccinated, with underlying health conditions. He was a known COVID positive. 
• The 207th COVID-19-related fatality occurred at the GRMC on September 17, 2021. The patient was an 82-year-old male, vaccinated, with underlying health conditions, and was a known COVID positive. 

The DPHSS Chief Medical Officer and Territorial Epidemiologist, in coordination with the Acting Chief Medical Examiner, have been conducting a review of all possible COVID-19-related deaths. This coordinated review process has resulted in the classification of an additional death from last year as COVID-19-related, bringing Guam’s COVID-19-related fatality death count to 208:

• The 208th COVID-19-related fatality occurred at the Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH) on October 31, 2020. The patient was a 68-year-old female with underlying health conditions. The COVID-19 vaccine was not available at that time. 

“Josh, Jeff, and I offer our condolences to the friends and families, for the loss of their loved ones,” said Governor Lou Leon Guererro. “Our community cannot waiver in our fight against COVID-19. Protect not only yourselves but those around you by taking extra precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19.”

DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE. Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. Seek emergency medical care immediately or call 911 if you have trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, or bluish lips or face.

60 Hospitalized for COVID-19 – 35 Unvaccinated

COVID-19 Test Results: 165 New Cases of COVID-19
Today, the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) reported 165 new cases of COVID-19 out of 1,486 tests performed on October 4. Thirty-eight (38) cases were identified through contact tracing. 

To date, there have been a total of 15,630 officially reported cases, 208 deaths, 2,342 cases in active isolation, and 13,080 not in active isolation. The CAR Score is 28.7.

DPHSS COVID-19 Data Update Report: COVID-19 Third Leading Cause of Death in 2020
Today, DPHSS Office of Epidemiology and Research and the COVID-19 Surveillance Unit issued an update on COVID-19 data. According to the update report, there were 126 COVID-19-related deaths in 2020. The report also states that COVID-19 is the third leading cause of death for Guam in 2020, and surpassed cerebrovascular diseases, which are normally the third leading cause of death. The leading and second leading causes of death in 2020 remained as disease of the heart and malignant neoplasms respectively. To view the DPHSS COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Report, CLICK HERE.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Booster Shots Available 
Booster Shots are available at the University of Guam Calvo Field House for people who had a normal immune response to the first two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, but because of time, antibody levels are beginning to wane. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is the only FDA authorized vaccine to administer as a booster. The following groups of people are eligible for a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech if they completed the Pfizer-BioNTech series (first two doses) and it has been 6 months or more since the second dose:

• Anyone age 65+
• Anyone age 18+ with underlying medical conditions
• Anyone 18+ with an elevated risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission due to their occupation (e.g. healthcare workers, law enforcement, fire, K-12 teachers and support staff, university faculty, daycare employees, food and agriculture workers, manufacturing workers, USPS workers, corrections workers, public transit workers, grocery store workers) or living settings

If eligible, please make your Booster Shot appointment at tinyurl.com/vaxguam. Walk-ins are accepted but should be prepared for longer wait times. 

COVID-19 Community Testing to be Held at Micronesia Mall Thursday
DPHSS, in partnership with the Guam National Guard and Micronesia Mall management, will conduct COVID-19 community testing at the Micronesia Mall underground parking garage on Thursday, October 7, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. In preparation of inclement weather, operations at the Old Carnival Grounds in Tiyan this Thursday will be canceled. 

For more information, visit dphss.guam.gov/covid-19-testing. 

Guam COVID-19 Vaccination Update
As of October 4, 101 additional residents received their first dose in a two-dose series, 25 residents received their dose in the single-dose series, and an additional 236 residents have become fully vaccinated. To date, a total of 120,536 (88.44%) of Guam’s eligible population (residents 12 years and older) is fully vaccinated. This percentage includes 11,095 fully vaccinated residents between the ages of 12 – 17, and 109,441 fully vaccinated adults. 2,199 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have been administered to eligible residents as either a booster or an additional dose. 26 doses of the Moderna vaccine have been administered as an additional dose to eligible residents.