


The new coronavirus threat brings with it terms that Guam officials have been using when discussing the virus and cases. Here's what some of those words and phrases mean according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and the Government of Guam. 

Surveillance case: A patient who a clinician has determined should be tested but does not meet COVID-19 PUI criteria.*

COVID-19 person under investigation or PUI: A patient with symptoms of COVID-19 who is at high risk.

  • This includes hospitalized patients with
    • Fever and signs/symptoms of a lower respiratory illness (like a cough or shortness of breath) AND a history of travel from affected geographic areas within 14 days of showing symptoms.
    • Fever with severe acute lower respiratory illness (like pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome) without another explanation or diagnosis 
  • This includes people with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 who have had close contact with a patient confirmed through testing to have COVID-19 within 14 days of showing symptoms.

Isolation: Separating a sick person or sick people or people reasonably believed to be infected with a communicable disease from people who are not sick.

Quarantine: Separation of a person or group of people reasonably believed to have been exposed to a communicable disease but not yet symptomatic, from others who have not been exposed, to prevent the possible spread of the communicable disease.

Coronavirus: Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans.  In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.

Novel coronavirus: A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold.


COVID-19: The abbreviation of the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, first identified in Wuhan China. In COVID-19, ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”.

Close contact: Being within six feet of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time. Or having direct contact with infections secretions of a COVID-19 case. Close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case.

Social distancing: Remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance, about six feet from others when possible.

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