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Local proposal: $400 for singles, $800 for couples
31 recover; 4 new patients
GovGuam works to increase bed capacity
By Oyaol Ngirairikl | The Guam Daily Post
7 hrs ago
1 of 2

EXCEEDING CAPACITY: The governor’ medical advisory group anticipates that the number of people who will be COVID-19 positive in one day will reach 100 by April 14 and exceed our current capacity by April 23. Slide from governor’s medical advisory group April 3 presentation.

NEED: The government is looking at ways to expand its hospital capacity. The governor’s medical advisory group anticipates that as many as 6,000 hospital beds could be needed by June. Slide from medical advisory groups April 3 presentation.

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Four more people tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to 125 – a count that includes two more children.

One of the two kids caught the virus at a hotel birthday party, though the Department of Public Health and Social Services didn’t provide details on when the party was held, or the number of people who were in attendance. The other child is believed to have caught the virus during recent travel.

DPHSS Director Linda Unpingco-DeNorcey said the two children fall within the 10-19 age group with five other kids. There’s also a 1-year-old baby who has fallen ill. That’s a total of eight kids.

A Homeland Security report, dated March 18, notes that children of all ages are susceptible to COVID-19 “though generally present with milder symptoms. Severe symptoms in children, however, are possible.”

DPHSS tested 34 individuals, one of whom tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The additional new cases include one from Diagnostic Laboratory Services and two from Naval Hospital Guam, which sends its samples to the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego, California.

There was some good news from Wednesday’s briefing with the governor and her team. Unpingco-DeNorcey reported that four more people who tested positive have since recovered – bringing that total to 31. Among the patients who recovered are nine who range from their 60s to one person who is in the 90s.

National and international health officials have said COVID-19 hits those over the age of 60 the hardest.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero on Wednesday said while the number of recovered patients is encouraging, the rate of recovery falls short of the rate at which the virus is spreading.

“While this number is positive, we must not stray from this strict path of social distancing. These recoveries would not have been possible without everyday heroes who risk their lives in the service of others. But they cannot win this fight alone. They need your help,” the governor stated. “To beat COVID-19, every single one of us needs to follow the social isolation directive.”

Officials confirmed that 107 people – a vast majority of those who tested positive – were exposed through some sort of local contact and not because of travel.

Hospital capacity

Leon Guerrero said the number of people requiring hospitalization and more serious medical attention still falls within Guam Memorial Hospital’s capacity to provide care.

Unpingco-DeNorcey said of the current COVID-19 patients, seven are isolated and getting some treatment at GMH. There are two others who are currently in the intensive care unit.

“We’re still really way below that break point where we would overwhelm our hospital facility,” Leon Guerrero said.

As of April 8, the island is already well on its way to surpassing that number. With 125 cumulative positive cases, 31 recovered and four who’ve passed away, Guam has 90 active cases.

In March, Dr. Felix Cabrera said Guam’s overall hospital bed capacity, taking into account nursing levels, is 250 beds. Intensive care unit capacity is 13 beds based on nursing staff levels. Last week, the governor’s medical advisory group anticipated that Guam would surpass that capacity by April 23.

That same model predicted Guam would reach 100 COVID-19 patients by April 14. And by June, we’d need thousands more hospital beds.

The governor said they’re purchasing 20 tents that can house 10 patient tents, potentially expanding the island’s total hospital bed capacity to 1,020. Additionally, they’re looking at other facilities that, with the use of federal funds, can be converted to accommodate COVID-19 patients.

However, “our concern is medical personnel,” the governor noted, saying she’s spoken to Joint Region Marianas Rear Adm. John Menoni.

“He’s bringing in medical personnel for the USS Theodore Roosevelt (and) they will be there to help us if we get to that point … where we need help,” Leon Guerrero said.

The governor said “right now we seem to be OK … with the current hospital capacity” but that can change if people don’t follow the social distancing and stay-at-home directives.

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