18 Jan 2021

Covid cases in CNMI go to 129 as vaccinations roll out

4:48 pm on 18 January 2021

Covid cases in the Northern Marianas have reached 129 after a passenger was identified through travel screening and testing upon arrival.

Kanoa Resort Quarantine Facility in CNMI

Kanoa Resort Quarantine Facility in CNMI Photo: RNZ Pacific / Mark Rabago

Health authorities say the person had been safely in quarantine and was moved into the designated isolation area for close monitoring.

Contact tracing had begun.

Out of the CNMI's 129 total cases, 103 were identified by travel screening while 26 were local transmissions although none of the latter group for over 150 days.

There are currently three people in isolation.

CNMI vaccinations on a roll

Meanwhile the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that the CNMI is one of the leading jurisdictions in terms of the percentage of people vaccinated.

As of last week, a total of 3,389 doses for the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine had been given to residents as well as 329 doses of the second dose residents.

The US territory has a population of roughly 50,000.

Moderna vaccine against COVID-19.

Moderna vaccine against COVID-19. Photo: AFP

Vaccination numbers are expected to rise even more as Tinian and Rota are expected to receive their doses this week with the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation receiving 12,400 additional doses over the weekend.

The CHCC said a total of 7,800 Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech and 4,600 doses had arrived from Moderna Inc.

So far, the CNMI has received a total of 18,650 vaccine doses.