By Troy Torres
(Tumon, Guam) A conversation among mayors and their representative in the Emergency Operations Center, Joey Charfauros, reveals that of the 14 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 11 of them are not isolated in the Guam Memorial Hospital. They are in voluntary isolation at home without any guards to ensure they do not leave their homes or come into contact with others, according to Sinajana Mayor Robert Hoffman.
Kandit received the WhatsApp group text messages and verified with Mr. Hoffman that they are authentic. In these messages, Sinajana Vice Mayor Rudy Iriarte asks Mr. Charfauros whether it is true that some of the patients are not confined at GMH.
Mr. Charfauros at 7:42 p.m. tonight responds, "What is on the board is that there are 2 at GMH and 1 at SNF, with 11 at their homes. This may be changing tomorrow. Per GMH RAC."
Mr. Hoffman two minutes later then asks, "Does the public know they aren't at GMH? Oh Lordy."
Mr. Iriarte laments two minutes later, "I think the at least the mayors should know what villages they are in."
Civil Defense administrator Charles Esteves told Kandit News after we asked him about this revelation that it was GMH that decided to discharge those patients and that Guam Homeland Security/Civil Defense do not know what villages these patients are isolating in. He said we would follow up with public health officials, who have these answers, and get back to us in the morning whether this information will be disclosed.
Mr. Hoffman also told Kandit that it is his understanding that no one is guarding these patients to make sure they do not leave their homes and that no one comes in contact with them.
"Why quarantine passengers from an airplane who are unknown and allow for positive cases to stay home," the Sinajana mayor wrote in the group chat at 7:50 p.m. tonight.
Mr. Hoffman is frustrated by the lack of and confusion in information being released by the government.
Mr. Charfauros, the mayors's representative inside the EOC, replied to Mr. Hoffman, stating, "Please note that I have met with Mr. Tim Aguon and I quote, 'We do not want that information released for obvious reasons.'"
"The media waits for this kind of news," a woman named 'Bev' in the chat room writes at 8:21 p.m. tonight. "I pray they don't let that out otherwise we'll have another to worry about."
It is unknown whether any of the 11 who are in home isolation are around family members or others in their homes.
