COVID-19 pandemic in the Northern Mariana Islands

The COVID-19 pandemic in the North Mariana Islands is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in March 2020.

COVID-19 pandemic in the Northern Mariana Islands
Disease	COVID-19
Virus strain	SARS-CoV-2
Location	Northern Mariana Islands
Index case	Saipan
Arrival date	March 28, 2020 (4 years, 7 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)
Confirmed cases	13,171[1]
Recovered	13,155
Deaths	40
Government website
CHCC

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan, Hubei, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.^[2][3]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,^[4][5] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.^[6][4]

Timeline

COVID-19 cases in Northern Mariana Islands  (

• v
• t
• e

)
     Deaths        Recoveries        Active cases

Date			# of cases	# of deaths
2020-03-28			2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-04-01			6(n.a.)	1(n.a.)
2020-04-02			8(+33%)	1(=)
⋮
2020-04-07			8(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-04-08			11(+38%)	2(=)
⋮
2020-04-14			13(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-04-17			14(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-05-06			15(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-05-09			16(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-05-10
2020-05-11			19(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-05-16			21(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-05-21			22(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-06-02			23(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-06-03			24(+4.3%)	2(=)
2020-06-04			26(+8.3%)	2(=)
⋮
2020-06-07			27(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-06-08			28(+3.7%)	2(=)
2020-06-09			29(+3.6%)	2(=)
⋮
2020-07-03			30(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-07-11			32(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-07-14			35(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-07-15
2020-07-16			36(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-07-21			37(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-07-25			39(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-07-30			41(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-07-31
2020-08-01			43(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-08-02			44(+2.3%)	2(=)
2020-08-03			45(+2.3%)	2(=)
⋮
2020-08-06			46(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-08-07
2020-08-08			47(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-08-09
2020-08-10			48(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-08-14			49(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-08-17			52(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-08-18			53(+1.9%)	2(=)
⋮
2020-08-29			55(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-09-01			56(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-09-05			57(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-09-06
2020-09-07			58(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-09-12			59(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-09-13
2020-09-14			60(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-09-17			61(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-09-18
2020-09-19			67(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-09-20
2020-09-21			68(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-09-30			69(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-10-04			72(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-10-05			74(+2.8%)	2(=)
⋮
2020-10-10			76(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-10-15			79(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-10-16
2020-10-17			85(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-10-20			87(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-10-26			91(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-11-04			95(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-11-05
2020-11-06			97(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-11-09			99(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-11-16			101(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-11-22			102(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-11-30			104(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-12-07			107(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-12-08			109(+1.9%)	2(=)
2020-12-09			111(+1.8%)	2(=)
⋮
2020-12-18			113(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-12-21			114(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2020-12-22
2020-12-23			116(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2020-12-26			120(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-01-03			124(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-01-04
2021-01-05			125(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-01-12			128(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-01-17			129(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-01-24			132(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-02-02			133(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-02-12			134(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-02-21			143(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-03-03			144(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-03-07			145(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-03-08
2021-03-09			146(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-03-13			147(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-03-14			150(+2%)	2(=)
⋮
2021-03-25			159(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-04-07			160(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-04-15			161(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-04-16			162(+0.62%)	2(=)
⋮
2021-04-25			164(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮			164(=)	2(=)
2021-05-10			170(+3.7%)	2(=)
⋮
2021-05-15			172(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-05-16
2021-05-17			173(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-05-18
2021-05-19			174(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-05-20			175(+0.57%)	2(=)
2021-05-21			176(+0.57%)	2(=)
⋮
2021-05-28			183(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮			183(=)	2(=)
2021-07-06			184(+0.55%)	2(=)
⋮
2021-07-09			185(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-07-14			187(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮			187(=)	2(=)
2021-07-20			188(+0.53%)	2(=)
⋮			188(=)	2(=)
2021-07-26			190(+1.1%)	2(=)
⋮
2021-08-02			196(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-08-03
2021-08-04			198(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-08-07			206(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-08-10			210(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-08-11
2021-08-12			211(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-08-13
2021-08-14			214(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-08-17			219(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-08-18			220(+0.46%)	2(=)
2021-08-19
2021-08-20			221(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-08-21			224(+1.4%)	2(=)
⋮
2021-08-24			226(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-08-25			229(+1.3%)	2(=)
2021-08-26			232(+1.3%)	2(=)
2021-08-27
2021-08-28			234(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-08-29			236(+0.85%)	2(=)
2021-08-30
2021-08-31			241(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-09-01			242(+0.41%)	2(=)
2021-09-02			243(+0.41%)	2(=)
⋮
2021-09-05			248(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-09-10			249(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-09-11			250(+0.4%)	2(=)
2021-09-12
2021-09-13			251(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-09-14			252(+0.4%)	2(=)
2021-09-15			256(+1.6%)	2(=)
2021-09-16
2021-09-17			258(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-09-20			263(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-09-21
2021-09-22			265(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-09-25			266(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
⋮
2021-09-28			267(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-09-29			268(+0.37%)	2(=)
2021-09-30			269(+0.37%)	2(=)
2021-10-01
2021-10-02			270(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-10-03			272(+0.74%)	2(=)
⋮
2021-10-07			273(n.a.)	2(n.a.)
2021-10-08
2021-10-09			277(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
⋮
2021-10-13			281(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
2021-10-14
2021-10-15			282(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
⋮
2021-10-18			288(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
2021-10-19			289(+0.35%)	3(=)
⋮
2021-10-24			290(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
2021-10-25			291(+0.34%)	3(=)
⋮
2021-10-29			304(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
2021-10-30
2021-10-31			312(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
2021-11-01
2021-11-02			318(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
2021-11-03			329(+3.5%)	3(=)
2021-11-04			330(+0.3%)	3(=)
2021-11-05			339(+2.7%)	3(=)
2021-11-06			343(+1.2%)	3(=)
2021-11-07			350(+2%)	3(=)
2021-11-08			351(+0.29%)	3(=)
2021-11-09			360(+2.6%)	3(=)
2021-11-10			369(+2.5%)	3(=)
2021-11-11			380(+3%)	3(=)
2021-11-12			381(+0.26%)	3(=)
2021-11-13			384(+0.79%)	3(=)
2021-11-14
2021-11-15			389(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
2021-11-16			393(+1%)	3(=)
2021-11-17			399(+1.5%)	3(=)
2021-11-18			408(+2.3%)	3(=)
2021-11-19			431(+5.6%)	3(=)
2021-11-20			438(+1.6%)	3(=)
2021-11-21			457(+4.3%)	3(=)
2021-11-22			464(+1.5%)	3(=)
2021-11-23			474(+2.2%)	3(=)
2021-11-24			572(+21%)	3(=)
2021-11-25			604(+5.6%)	3(=)
2021-11-26			649(+7.5%)	3(=)
2021-11-27			692(+6.6%)	3(=)
2021-11-28
2021-11-29			787(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
2021-11-30
2021-12-01			812(n.a.)	3(n.a.)
2021-12-02			958(+18%)	3(=)
2021-12-03			1,062(+11%)	3(=)
2021-12-04			1,104(+4%)	3(=)
2021-12-05
2021-12-06			1,182(n.a.)	5(n.a.)
⋮
2021-12-10			1,514(n.a.)	5(n.a.)
2021-12-11
2021-12-12			1,774(n.a.)	5(n.a.)
2021-12-13			1,908(+7.6%)	6(+20%)
2021-12-14
2021-12-15			2,018(n.a.)	6(n.a.)
2021-12-16			2,117(+4.9%)	6(=)
2021-12-17			2,205(+4.2%)	6(=)
2021-12-18			2,321(+5.3%)	6(=)
2021-12-19			2,375(+2.3%)	7(+17%)
2021-12-20			2,422(+2%)	8(+14%)
2021-12-21			2,506(+3.5%)	8(=)
2021-12-22			2,580(+3%)	8(=)
2021-12-23			2,641(+2.4%)	8(=)
2021-12-24			2,737(+3.6%)	8(=)
2021-12-25			2,819(+3%)	8(=)
2021-12-26			2,853(+1.2%)	10(+25%)
2021-12-27			2,893(+1.4%)	11(+10%)
2021-12-28			2,963(+2.4%)	12(+9.1%)
2021-12-29
2021-12-30			3,085(n.a.)	13(n.a.)
2021-12-31			3,208(+4%)	13(=)
2022-01-01			3,255(+1.5%)	13(=)
2022-01-02			3,287(+0.98%)	14(+7.7%)
Cumulative cases reported in the Northern Mariana Islands to date Sources The COVID Tracking Project

Cases

Deaths

On 28 March, the islands confirmed their first two COVID-19 cases.^[7]

The first death from coronavirus in the CNMI occurred on March 30 at Kanoa Resort.^[8] A second death was reported on April 7 at the Commonwealth Health Care Corporation (CHCC).^[9]

On 13 April, the CNMI received 20,000 test kits from South Korea; this shipment is expected to be the first of three, totaling 60,000, to arrive.^[10]

Statistics

Flights from China and Hong Kong were cancelled in early February,^[11] leading to a drawdown in tourists to the island of Saipan and subsequently an economic crisis which triggered an austerity.^[12] By March 12, a task force was in place to manage the austerity measures put into place.^[13]

As a precautionary measure on March 17, Governor Torres shut schools and government offices.^[14] The continuation of daily United Airlines' nonstop flights from Guam 120 miles away led to all arriving individuals suspected of coronavirus symptoms to be placed in quarantine at the Kanoa Resort.^[15] Circa 16 March, governor Ralph Torres temporarily closed all schools and government offices.^[14] A government task force has also been set up to monitor the situation.^[13]

Island or division	Confirmed cases Per island
Saipan	6,806
Tinian	2,044
Rota	1,893
Agrihan	4
Pagan	2
Alamagan	1

References

1. "Covid-19 Level - Northern Mariana Islands".
2. Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
3. Reynolds, Matt (March 4, 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on March 5, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
4. "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. March 13, 2020. Archived from the original on March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
5. "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
6. "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
7. "Saipan confirms two COVID-19 positive cases". Pacific Daily News. March 28, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
8. Sablan, Jerick (March 30, 2020). "Saipan officials confirm one man dead of suspected COVID-19". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
9. Governor, Office of the (April 7, 2020). "Marianas Variety – Second Covid-19 patient passes away". www.mvariety.com. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
10. Sablan, Jerick (April 14, 2020). "CNMI gets thousands of COVID-19 tests". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
11. De La Torre, Ferdie (February 2, 2020). "3 airlines cancel flights". Saipan News, Headlines, Events, Ads | Saipan Tribune. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
12. De La Torre, Ferdie (February 7, 2020). "Austerity measures announced today". Retrieved April 2, 2020.
13. COVID-19 Task Force to address community concerns Marianas Variety
14. "Pacific countries, already hard hit by epidemics, take extreme coronavirus measures". RNZ. March 16, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
15. Staff, Daily Post (April 2020). "United Airlines flights between Guam and Saipan canceled". The Guam Daily Post. Retrieved April 2, 2020.

External links

• CHCC Coronavirus page Archived October 27, 2020, at the Wayback Machine