By Jacob Nakamura
(Tumon, Guam) Kandit wishes the family of the 68-year-old woman who succumbed to COVID-19 early this morning all the love and light of the world during this very difficult time in their lives. We also will not be sharing her name out of respect for the family's privacy during the brief grieving process this crisis is affording them.
According to the governor's team, the family has only 24 hours to mourn their loved one prior to burial or cremation at a private service for family only. We will pray for them in spirit and with light for nine days.
The Governor's Office released the following information on the fatality:
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.
