Public Health: FSM residents are disproportionately high number of deaths

The governor's COVID-19 bereavement program is still undergoing legal review. It would make a one-time $10,000 payment to the families of those who died from the virus. Public Health mass casualty chief Alex Silverio was to meet today with the Department of Administration for an update.

"This payment is to help these families cope and address the financial situation and gaps that the COVID-19 death has presented to them," he said.

For example, he says some families wish to repatriate their loved ones back to their home island or country and don't have the resources to cover for the unexpected deaths. For now though the administration department is holding onto the checks pending clarification of some legal questions, such as who is the next of kin in a common-law relationship.

Silverio says they are also tracking certain data on the COVID-19 fatalities which can help in containing the spread. The latest indicates there have been 12 Chamorros, 11 Filipinos, and 12 Chuukese.

"It does mean a lot," he said, "it means that our brothers and sisters from the FSM - they represent a small percentage of this island, but they are disproportionately highly represented in our deaths."

Public Health can then address the disproportionate fatality rate by raising awareness within that specific community, as Silverio added, "Sometimes there's a cultural divide, a language divide. Our attitudes towards them and their attitudes towards us. All of these things have to be bridged, not just with COVID-19, but with every health and wellness consideration on this island."

As of Monday afternoon, there were 60 confirmed deaths directly related to COVID-19.