12 Apr 2020

Fifth person in Guam dies as a result of Covid-19

10:53 am on 12 April 2020

Guam has suffered its fifth Covid-19 related death as the US territory tally of cases hits 133.

The latest fatality was a 79-year-old woman who died on Saturday, just a day after checking into the Guam Memorial Hospital.

No caption

Guam Memorial Hospital Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The government's Joint Information Center said the woman had no travel history, but did have a history of diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease.

There were also three new cases confirmed over the past 24 hours, after then had be no cases the day before.

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero sent her condolences to the deceased woman's family and friends.

She also pointed out that although it was a "painful and hard" situation, that the coronavirus would "take even more from us if we aren't committed to staying home and stopping the spread."

All five deaths have been of people over 65 years old.

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero Photo: Supplied/ Expressions Studio

Naval vessel Covid-19 cases jump

Meanwhile over 100 more crew on a US aircraft carrier docked in Guam have tested positive for the coronavirus.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt had been anchored off Guam since 27 March after scores of people on board tested positive for covid-19.

In a statement on its website, the US Navy said 92 percent of the nuclear-powered carrier's crew had been tested, with 550 positive results.

It said nearly 4,000 sailors had been moved onto Guam, after the governor, Lou Leon Guerrero, agreed to quarantine the sailors in local hotels.

The outbreak led to the resignation earlier this week of the acting US Navy Secretary Thomas Modly.

He stood down following a mounting backlash against his firing and ridiculing of the ship's commander, who had pleaded for urgent help to stop the virus spreading through the crew.

On Thursday, a sailor from the carrier was admitted to an intensive care unit in Guam.

The cases on the ship were not included in Guam's official count.

United States Navy ship Theodore Roosevelt

United States Navy ship Theodore Roosevelt Photo: AFP /US NAVY/NICHOLAS V. HUYNH/HANDOUT