KUAM News Bytes

A whirlwind of events have occurred over the past 24 hours as Guam now has four confirmed persons under investigation for coronavirus. In a special “Ahead of the Spread” podcast, KUAM’s Sabrina Salas Matanane talks with the former Head of the Joint Information Center during the Camacho-Moylan and Camacho-Cruz administrations, Shawn Gumataotao. He also helped write Guam’s Pandemic Response Plan in 2010.

She also speaks with president of the Guam Medical Association, Dr. Thomas Shieh. The discussions focus on what Guam should be doing now that a pandemic has been declared by the World Health Organization, the government’s efforts to prepare and its response thus far to COVID-19.

KUAM's Chris Barnett talks with American Medical Center's Dr. Hoa Nguyen about the Department of Public Health and Social Services' new testing criteria for persons under investigation for COVID-19. Dr. Nguyen speaks about how DPHSS's criteria is more "relaxed" than the Centers For Disease Control's criteria, but Nguyen said it should lead to more testing for COVID-19 on Guam.

He also said because Guam only started testing for the virus two days ago, there is a chance Guam already has COVID-19 cases, but "we just don't know it," Nguyen said.

President and chief executive officer of Guam Regional Medical City, Dr. Michael Cruz confirms that a patient was transferred from their Dededo emergency room to the Guam Memorial Hospital in Tamuning after determining the individual met the criteria to be tested for COVID-19.

Former Guam governor Eddie Calvo comments on Governor Lou Leon Guerrero's 2020 State of the Island Address.

Guam International Airport Authority Executive Manager Tom Ada provides information on how they screened 19 travelers originating from China when they arrived to the airport over the weekend. Ada says none of them exhibited any symptoms of the Coronavirus but are being monitored. He also provides information about the travel ban imposed on foreign arrivals from China that went into effect this morning.

KUAM's Chris Barnett speaks with the family of slain Honolulu Police Department Tiffany Enriquez in this full-length interview. The family remembers Tiffany, shares memories of her and what made her a light in so many people's lives. They also share how the overwhelming messages of support, sympathy and prayer have helped strengthen them during this time of mourning.