An increase in Covid cases is being seen in Majuro, with the number of new cases officially reported by the Ministry of Health and Human Services more than doubling this month.
The Ministry reported nine Covid cases in Majuro as of December 13. The number jumped to 19 as of last week Wednesday, December 20.
The December 27 update shows that while only six new cases were confirmed at Majuro hospital, three new cases on Ebeye and 12 at the US Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll were confirmed after weeks of no confirmed cases at these two locations.
“Covid-19 is not going to go away,” Health Secretary Francyne Wase-Jacklick told the Journal late last week. “It’s a disease that we expect to continue to circulate within the community due to travel and movement.”
For the RMI, December is the month where any type of communicable illness — including Covid — can easily spread due to large groups gathering for dance practices and the usual holiday parties.
Wase-Jacklick said that the numbers reported by the ministry are people who tested at the hospital. She said people can do their own tests using rapid antigen tests kits, though these may be challenging to come by. The Journal checked with both K&K Supermarket and Payless Supermarket to see if these were available and couldn’t find any on their shelves. The hospital is not routinely providing these for home use as it did during the Covid border closure.
“Our preparedness, epidemiology and surveillance team are closely monitoring the situation within RMI and neighboring countries,” she added. “We will be elevating our risk communications to provide awareness on RMI situation to avoid panic.”