Three (3) more travel-related COVID-19 positive cases have been identified after sixty-four (64) inbound travelers from October 3, 2021, United Airlines flight from Guam received their Day 5 testing.
According to the Ministry of Health and Human Services (MHHS) report, the tests conducted with PCR GeneXpert and Abbot ID confirmed the results to be positive for 3 of the passengers on this flight.
Day 1 testing that occurred upon passengers’ arrival on October 4th, showed all 64 passengers testing negative for COVID-19 whereas Day 5 testing identified 3 to be positive.
MHHS has initiated contact tracing of the 3 identified individuals. It
A notice from Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Elementary School from the school principal to parents and guardians of SDA students, revealed that the principal and two other school staff were exposed to one of the identified positive cases and have been put into quarantine for 10 days per MHHS protocol. They have also been tested and results were negative for COVID-19 but in accordance with protocols, they remain in quarantine until after Day 10 testing.
President Surangel Whipps Jr. at last week’s press conference urged the people to have confidence in the system, noting again the high vaccination rates and the protocols in place to identify and isolate the cases.
Meanwhile, Guam, the source of entry for vaccinated travelers has shown a surge in covid infections, as well as high breakthrough cases of covid for vaccinated individuals.
With the increase in the number of incoming travelers, Whipps had earlier reported that discussions are ongoing with United Airlines on the possibility of increasing the number of flights a week from Guam.
“Life must go on. Let’s be confident and not worry, our hospital is prepared and our personnel are ready and most of all we are vaccinated.” expressed Whipps last week on living with COVID-19, a “new normal.”