Twenty-two new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed among Department of Defense (DOD) personnel in Guam on Saturday, according to a statement by Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero.
Through contact tracing, 20 of the new cases were identified as service members in a single unit deployed to Andersen Air Force Base (AFB). The remaining two cases were DOD healthcare workers who reported contact with COVID-19.
According to Guerrero’s statement, all members of the unit have been tested with “conclusive results.”
“All service members assigned to the unit were rapidly placed in isolation and have since been relocated to Andersen AFB where they are under medical observation in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols,” the statement said.
The 11% increase in cases on Saturday, followed by two more civilian cases on Monday, brings the total to 224 confirmed COVID-19 infected individuals in Guam, including five deaths.
Of the total cases, 182 are civilians and 42 are military service members. As of Monday, there are 46 total active cases.
“Anderson AFB are complying with all DoD travel restrictions and clearance processes and are committed to ensuring the health and safety of all service members, civilians, families and the community,” the statement said.
DoD COVID-19 precautions
A memo from the Department of Defense outlined additional precautions the department is taking to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to the memo, all individuals on DoD property should wear face coverings if they cannot maintain six feet of social distance.
The DoD also created the “Personnel Accountability and Assessment Notification for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Exposure” form for use in reporting individuals who are symptomatic of, or who may have been exposed to, COVID-19.
“The form should be used to report any military service member, civilian employee, or contractor, and may be completed by either the affected individual or a person reporting about the individual,” the memo stated.
As of June 22nd, the total number of Defense Department cases of COVID-19 is 14,073, including 36 deaths.
