JIC RELEASE NO. 108 - Corrected Case Count; Expanded Testing Results; Contractors License Renewal Deadlines; DOL Updates; Nonessential Businesses Remain Closed

COVID-19 test results are reported from multiple labs at varying times of the day. Cumulative test results will be provided this evening once all tests from today are finalized.

COVID-19 Count Correction
On Sunday, May 3, the Joint Information received information of two additional confirmed cases of COVID-19. On Monday, May 4, it was clarified that one of the positive cases reported the day prior had already been accounted for. 

To date, there have been 149 cases confirmed through COVID-19 testing provided with 5 deaths and 125 released from isolation. Seven people previously released from isolation have returned to active isolation status. As this is an evolving situation, information is subject to change with little to no notice. 

Cases are released from isolation when at least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms AND at least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. 

Some cases that were previously released from isolation have returned to active isolation status after re-testing positive for COVID-19 through follow-up testing. To date, no additional cases have been linked to people released from isolation. 

For updated information on COVID-19 cases on Guam, including residential villages of confirmed cases, visit the COVID-19 Dashboard at http://dphss.guam.gov/covid-19/. 

*Some cases that were previously released from isolation have tested positive through follow-up testing

 **Some cases traveled to more than one country

Expanded Testing Results
From April 25 to May 2, 2020 the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) conducted expanded testings in the northern, central, and southern regions as well as targeted areas where infection may occur due to lack of access to health care and densely populated apartment complexes.

Expanded testing will continue this week at St. Dominic's Senior Care Home in Barrigada Heights on Tuesday, May 5, Guma Trankilidat in Tumon on Wednesday, May 6, and Hemlani’s Apartments in Merizo on Thursday, May 7. These events are closed to the public. 

If you are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, please call your health care 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, or call 311.

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

Contractors License Renewal Deadlines 
The Contractors License Board 2021 License Renewal Application deadline has been moved from June 30, 2020 to August 31, 2020. There will be no late fees applied until September 1, 2020. You may visit www.clb.guam.gov to print out the 2021 License Renewal Application. For inquiries, call 649-2214/2213.

Department of Labor Updates
Guam Department of Labor (GDOL) sent a budget request of more than $924 million dollars to

help those on the island impacted by COVID-19. On April 28 the supplemental budget request

was sent to U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to implement the Pandemic Unemployment

Assistance (PUA) program and the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)

program locally.

However, to receive the federal funds and get unemployment benefits to the people of Guam,

agreements for both programs need to be signed. Currently the PUA agreement has been

signed, but USDOL has not yet provided the FPUC agreement for Guam to sign.

As the department waits for USDOL to sign the FPUC agreement, approve the budget request

and release the federal funds, GDOL is moving to stand up as much of the program as possible

so when the payment is loaded, the department can get money out with minimal delays.

For more information, refer to the Guam Visitors Bureaus webinar featuring Director

David Dell’Isola: https://www.facebook.com/guamvisitorsbureau/videos/344213233218716/?v=344213233218716   

Media seeking a complete copy of the budget submission can email Special Projects

Coordinator Hannah Cho at Hannah.Cho@dol.guam.gov.

Nonessential Business to Remain Closed Until PCOR 2
Guam remains in Pandemic Condition of Readiness (PCOR) 1. Nonessential businesses may not operate until PCOR 2 has been declared. To declare a PCOR 2 status, the following criteria must be met:

1. TWO WEEKS of consistent decline in the number of new COVID-19 positives
2. Adequate hospital capability to TREAT new cases as they arise 
3. Capacity to TEST all people with COVID-19 symptoms; and 
4. Ability to contact TRACE efficiently and effectively 

Further guidance from DPHSS is forthcoming. For more information on Chålan Para Hinemlo’, you can go to http://www.investguam.com/roadtorecovery/. 

For inquiries on COVID-19, contact 311 through a local number, or call the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10.