Marshall Islands confirms first two positive cases of COVID-19

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There are now two confirmed COVID-19 positive cases in the Marshall Islands. 

The RMI Office of the Chief Secretary issued a release last night describing that the two ‘border cases’ were identified on the military base in Kwajalein Atoll.

The two COVID-19 positive individuals arrived on Tuesday on a direct flight from Honolulu, Hawaii to Kwajalein Atoll.

The first patient, a 35-year-old female, tested positive on Tuesday. According to the RMI Ministry of Health, she first tested positive for COVID-19 in late July.

After testing positive, she received an antibody test to determine if the positive result was due to past infection. The Ministry is still waiting for the result as of Wednesday.

The second patient, a 46-year-old male, tested positive on Wednesday. According to the Ministry, the patient had no prior COVID-19 infection history.

“The National Disaster Committee, in close coordination with the President and the Cabinet and the USAG-KA  (U.S. Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll) are rapidly responding to these cases…,” the RMI Office of the Chief Secretary stated in the release.

“We can assure the public that these are strictly border cases and were discovered while these people were in quarantine, where they remain until this time.”

With both cases contained under strict quarantine, there is no need to initiate a nation-wide lockdown at this point, according to the RMI Chief Secretary.