JIC RELEASE NO. 21 - First COVID-19 Related Fatality on Guam - GHS OCD

On Sunday, March 22, 2020 at 1:30 a.m. (ChST), Guam’s first COVID-19 related fatality occurred at the Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH). The patient was originally admitted to GMH on Sunday, March 15, 2020 and remained in isolation throughout the week. The patient was among one of Guam’s initial COVID-19 patients.

The patient was 68-years-old with underlying health issues, which were compounded with COVID-19. The patient had no recent travel history before contracting the virus but initial investigations indicated the patient may have contracted it from someone who did.

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and her chief medical advisors, Dr. Mike Cruz and Dr. Joleen Aguon, urge everyone to stay home, exercise good hygiene, wash your hands, and practice social distancing by maintaining a physical distance of six feet between yourselves and others. Though these measures are not dramatic, they are the most effective things we can do to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Governor Leon Guerrero also met with her Physicians Advisory Group, a group of bipartisan community physicians committed to stopping the spread of COVID-19 through coordination and expert advice.

DPHSS, along with health care providers, various Government of Guam agencies, and our military counterparts are working tirelessly to work toward containment of the spread of the virus. Currently, the hospital staff that cared for the patient, and any COVID-19 confirmed patients, are on a strict monitoring system, checking in regularly with updates regarding any signs or symptoms. Health officials will continue to screen all who have come in contact with COVID-19 confirmed patients.

Medical Triage Hotline Numbers for COVID-19
If you are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, please call your healthcare 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:

(671) 480-7859
(671) 480-6760/3
(671) 480-7883
(671) 687-6170 (ADA Dedicated Number)

These numbers are operational daily, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and are limited to medical-related inquiries only.

For media inquiries, 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. 21 - First COVID-19 Related Fatality on Guam