Guam confirms 22 more Covid-19 cases

A Covid-19 testing point in Guam Photo: Guam Governor's Office

Twenty two positive Covid-19 tests linked to the US Air Force Andersen Base have taken Guam’s total number of cases to 222.

Of those cases 180 are classified as civilians, and 42 are military service members, including the 22 confirmed by the Department of Defense on Saturday.

The government says there are 44 active cases in Guam while 173 people have been released from isolation and there have been five deaths over the course of the outbreak.

The 22 latest positive results were identified through contact tracing among service members in a unit deployed to the Andersen Air Force Base after an initial spate of cases this week. There are now 35 infected people associated with the base.

Health officials at a testing facility on Guam Photo: Guam Governor’s Office

Authorities say all newly discovered cases were quickly isolated.

The cases come as Guam begins to relax Covid-19 restrictions, with bars and taverns and other businesses now able to open under an increased customer capacity limit of 50 percent.

Day care centres are also now allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity.

 

Source: RNZ