Joint Information Center - JIC Release No. 36
March 29, 2020, 5:55 p.m. (ChST)

JIC RELEASE NO. 36 - One Tests Positive for COVID-19; Quarantine for all Incoming Passengers

Breaking News Found at Governor Leon Guerrero’s Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/govlouguam/

The Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) tested 23 individuals for COVID-19 on Sunday, March 29, 2020 with conclusive results. One (1) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and 22 tested negative for SARS-CoV-2.  

A total of 388 tests were performed from March 12, 2020 through March 29, 2020 with conclusive results. To date, a total of 54 cases tested positive by DPHSS and 334 tested negative for COVID-19 with seven recovered and one death.  

The DPHSS overall count also includes two positive cases that were tested by the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) in San Diego.

Tested by DPHSS Guam Public Health Lab (GPHL)	Tested by the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC)	Total
54	2	56

All 48 remaining cases tested by GPHL and NHRC are in isolation. 

Quarantine for all Incoming Travelers

Effective Tuesday, March 31, 2020 at midnight ALL incoming passengers, regardless of place of origin or transit, are subject to a 14-day quarantine at a government-designated facility upon entry to Guam. The quarantine will be applied unless the traveler possesses a healthcare recognized and certified document that attests he or she is not infected with COVID-19 within the last 72 hours. As this is an evolving process, these guidelines are subject to revision.

Agreement Signed with USDOL

Today, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero signed an Agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to implement the provisions of the Relief for Workers Affected by Coronavirus Act (the Act), or Public Law 116-136, which was enacted on March 28, 2020. The Act provides for a new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, giving employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic on Guam unemployment benefits. 

The Guam Department of Labor (GDOL) and the Guam Economic Development Authority (GEDA) will be leading efforts to create a new PUA program that will be administered by the GDOL on Guam. To ensure compliance with the Governor’s social isolation directive, the program will be sensitive to existing social distancing mandates.

IRS Scam

The Department of Revenue and Taxation announced today that there are messages circulating on social media and chat groups advising of a phishing scam purportedly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to obtain bank account information to deposit the 2020 Recovery Rebate which was approved by the Coronavirus Recovery Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) which was signed in to law by President Trump.

The IRS does not contact taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. DO NOT provide your PIN, passwords, credit card information, bank accounts or other financial information to anyone. If you receive any suspicious IRS-related phone calls, emails or messages, report them to phishing@irs.gov.

Disinfecting Your Home if Someone is Sick with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
Spread from person-to-person happens most frequently among close contacts. This type of transmission occurs via respiratory droplets. However, transmission of COVID-19 to persons from surfaces has not been documented. Transmission occurs much more commonly through respiratory droplets. Current evidence suggests that COVID-19 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19.

This guidance provides recommendations on the cleaning and disinfection of households. It is aimed at limiting the survival of the virus in the environment. 

• Cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Cleaning does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.

• Disinfecting refers to using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.

Community members can practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surface with household cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants. Labels contain instructions for safe and effective use of the cleaning product including precautions you should take when applying the product.

1. Household members should educate themselves about COVID-19 symptoms and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in homes.

2. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas 

   • In the bedroom/bathroom dedicated for an ill person: consider reducing cleaning frequency to as-needed to avoid unnecessary contact with the ill person.

     • As much as possible, an ill person should stay in a specific room and away from other people in their home, following home care guidance.

     • The caregiver can provide personal cleaning supplies for an ill person’s room and bathroom, unless the room is occupied by a child or another person for whom such supplies would not be appropriate. 

     • If a separate bathroom is not available, the bathroom should be cleaned and disinfected after each use by an ill person. Otherwise, the caregiver should wait to clean and disinfect the high-touch surfaces.

3. Household members should follow home care guidance when interacting with persons with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 and their isolation rooms/bathrooms.

For media inquiries, contact the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

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