The first week of September has seen COVID-19 surge in Yap. The Yap State Department of Health has reported that Yap has been hitting consistently high numbers of new positive cases for COVID-19, at 200 plus cases a day, since September 1.. Many health workers have also come down with COVID-19 due to the amount of daily exposure to the virus in health care while at the front lines. Due to shortage of healthcare workers, Yap is at the moment having difficulty keeping all of their Test to Treat centers open.  A medical mission team from Palau arrived September 3  to provide relief and help with Yap’s COVID-19 outbreak response efforts.  This team includes US CDC Dr. Richard Brostrom,  Pacific Regional TB field Medical Officer, Hawaii State TB Program Clinical Consultant, Regional Communicable Disease Epidemiologist, and health professionals from the Ministry of Health and Human Services in Palau.  

Of the 9 municipalities in Yap, only Rumung is still reporting no cases. Last weekend, only 3 municipalities, Kanifay, Dalipebinaw and Maap, were still reporting less than 20% of their population have tested positive for COVID-19. More than one-third of the population in Rull and Gilman and about one-fourth of the population in the remaining municipalities, Fanif, Gagil, Weloy and Tamil, have tested positive for COVID-19. 

The youngest individuals to test positive have been unvaccinated infants under 5 years old, though 33% of infants have been partially vaccinated.  The oldest individuals have all been fully vaccinated, with a reported rate of 100% for vaccination, 73% for first booster, and 26% for second booster.  It is important to note that these numbers only reflect the people who go to Test and Treat sites to get tested. There are many more who are not testing or testing at home. 

On September 3, there were three new hospital admissions (ages 43, 69 and 80) and two more requiring oxygen support the next day.  Total cumulative hospital admissions since community transmission is 19 with 10 discharged as of September 5. The COVID-19 ward may soon reach capacity and run out of bed space. Two patients are in Intensive Care of a total of 3 beds. And, in the hospital, 9 of 18 available beds were filled.  Based on an estimated population of 11,241 (2021), 18% of the population currently is testing positive for COVID-19.

Daily new cases continues to exceed the previous day. As of September 6, more than half of the population of Rull is testing positive for COVID-19 and all other municipalities except for Maap and Rumung are registering between 20-49%. There, however, have been two more individuals have been discharged from the hospital, so only 7 of 19 bed are currently filled.

As the surge continues, the state is able to lift border restrictions.  As of August 27, travelers are no longer required to be tested before travel in to Yap, with the exception of infants 2 years and younger.  All incoming travelers must have completed the primary series of accepted COVID-19 vaccines two weeks prior to travel.  Adults age 18+ must have received the 1st booster dose if eligible (5 months after the primary series for Pfizer/Moderna and 2 months after for J&J).

Read more about community transmission of COVID-19 in Yap and to see the collection of surveillance reports since onset August 16 2022.  

A Note about Vaccination Rates for COVID-19 in Yap:

The Yap State COVID-19 Surveillance Report includes a large amount of information including detailed information about descriptions of the youngest and oldest cases for the day, demographics and vaccination status of hospitalizations, and information about hospital discharges.  It accounts for daily new cases and cumulative cases, current and discharged hospitalizations, and new and total deaths. It also includes graphics for the epicurve by day and a map of Yap with percent positive cases and marking the Test to Treat sites and Hospital.  However, it also includes daily information about positive cases by municipality and age group, common symptoms, and daily counts of Paxlovid prescribed and by age group.  The most common COVID-19 symptoms people are presenting with are fever, cough, and sore throat.  

The population has largely been vaccinated however only 33% of infants (under age 5) have been partially vaccinated (one does).

59% of children ages 5-11 have been fully vaccinated, 16% boosted.

84% of adolescents ages 12-17 have been fully vaccinated, 35% boosted.

87% of adults ages 18-44 have been fully vaccinated, 51% boosted.

100% of adults age 45+ have been fully vaccinated, 73% boosted, 26% double boosted.