By Eric Rosario
(Note: We apologize... an early version of this story stated the man who died was a paychologist. We since updated the story to reflect his actual position: psychiatric social worker)
A psychiatric social worker, who worked for the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, died after contracting COVID-19. According to Department of Corrections deputy director Bob Camacho, the man was assigned to work with prisoners around the time he contracted the disease.
Some of the prisoners, whom the man came into contact with, were diagnosed soon after he began helping them.
"There was contact tracing with employees and inmates," Mr. Camacho said. "We could not determine if he infected the staff and inmates or it was the other way around. [Department of Public Health and Social Services] would have more information on that cause."
The man worked at both DOC and with GBHWC clients.
"He was detailed to DOC to help with the GBHWC annex that we were trying to establish at DOC for mental clients," Mr. Camacho said. "He was also working at GBHWC because we had several clients he was still working with. When he didn't show up for a few days, we inquired with GBHWC and found out he was at the hospital."
Kandit has requested information from the DPHSS on contact tracing that occurred in this instance between the two agencies the employee was serving, and the clients under these agencies and his care.
The DOC community is mourning the loss of one of its veteran officers, Glenn Martinez, who died this week after battling COVID-19. Mr. Martinez contracted the disease from work, where hundreds of prisoners and employees are battling the disease.
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