Text from Mass Email below:
ALCON,
Attached is the COVID-19 update report for July 27th, 2022. Also attached is a poster on the location of Test & Treat sites. Please disseminate where appropriate and in local language when possible.
We're still in the process of fine-tuning these reports for readability and accessibility. With the interest of simply getting you the information quickly, and in a digestible fashion, I'm including some notes below on how to interpret the attached report.
First--the cases from Chuuk and Yap are reflective of previous repatriation flights. All of those cases were border cases, found and isolated in quarantine. Both Yap and Chuuk remain COVID-19 free in their communities.
Second--the term "hospitalization" in the attached report means "a person is positive for COVID-19 and is presently under medical care at a state or private hospital." This is the census number for all individuals in the hospital.
Third--the term "recovered" in the attached report means "a person who WAS under medical care at a state or private hospital is no longer positive for COVID-19 and has left the hospital's care." This is a cumulative number.
We intend to fine-tune the daily COVID-19 sitreps to the point where the above notes aren't necessary--but, for now, our belief is that the above clarifications may be valuable to you.
Below are additional updates for today, July 27th, 2022.
Officials at the Office of the President describe that Vice President Yosiwo P. George continues to improve, but remains in hospital.
Additional banking institutions and businesses whose services include financial wire-transfers have closed until further notice. Numerous Government officials, private sector workers, and citizens working in the informal sector (e.g. subsistence-farmers) report that they are increasingly concerned about their capacity to fully utilize their payroll checks and/or wire money transfers from family living abroad in Guam, Hawaii, and the U.S. mainland.
The U.S. CDC medical teams arrived in Pohnpei State and Kosrae State today; after their flight was canceled yesterday, I am advised the teams flew from Hawaii to Guam, and then caught a flight from Guam to the FSM.
President David W. Panuelo is scheduled to record a statement to address the Nation's citizens tomorrow morning, July 28th 2022. I am unable to confirm if the statement will be disseminated later on that same day or on Friday, July 29th, 2022.
The FSM has received its first stockpile of COVID-19 vaccines suitable for infants aged between 6 months and 4 years. Persons interested in obtaining these vaccines for their infants may do so starting on July 29th, 2022.
Pohnpei State Government has promulgated an announcement that persons found in public without a mask can be charged up to $1,000.
President David W. Panuelo has confirmed he will be meeting with the Governor of Guam, Lou Leon Guerrero, on Friday morning (i.e. July 29th, 2022). Among other matters, the President and his delegation intend to solicit the Governor's advice on how to ensure critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, do not become overrun or fail.
Private medical practitioners have reported to the Office of the President that they are ready to assist with COVID-19 testing. Several private medical practitioners have reported their discomfort that MiCare (formerly known as the FSM Health Insurance Plan) is unable to guarantee that it will cover COVID-19 related issues. It is alleged that the Acting Administrator describes that they lack the authority to make a decision in this regard, which is a claim I am unable to confirm or deny. I can confirm that MiCare's Board is unable to reach a quorum as it only has two members presently sitting.
I have not been provided information on the newly reported deaths, such as their age or vaccination status. I can confirm one of the deaths was a male. I have received two reports from witnesses to the treatment of one of the bodies, of which one report was from an FSM Government official. The reports described a desire for Standard Operating Procedures for handling the bodies of persons who have died of COVID-19. I am not able to confirm or deny that these Standard Operating Procedures exist and/or are followed or not.
This concludes the updates for tonight. There will be additional updates tomorrow evening.
Ni wahu oh karakarahk,
Richard Clark
Special Assistant to the President/Press Secretary/Public Information Officer
