Five people in Cayman tested for COVID-19
(CNS): Public health officials have confirmed that samples from five patients have been sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to be tested for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. All of the individuals who have became unwell have travelled recently to countries where outbreaks have occurred. Four of them remain isolated at home and the fifth, a visitor, was already an inpatient at Health City Cayman Islands.
Given that the virus is now on the verge of being a pandemic, as it spreads rapidly in more and more countries, Cayman is expecting the virus to reach our shores and public health officials have been planning for such an eventuality.
The Public Health Department said the five patients who have been tested for the virus are being closely monitored. The visitor was admitted to the Shetty hospital for a cardiac event and developed respiratory symptoms, which are are also typical of that condition. Out of an abundance of caution they have been tested and isolated from the other patients.
The five samples were sent to CARPHA on Monday via the usual infectious material courier between the Health Services Authority and the CARPHA laboratory. Officials said the results are expected within six days. However, government officials have said that on-island testing should start within the next two weeks through the Health Services Authority.
Medical Officer of Health Dr Samuel Williams-Rodriguez said the four patients affected who are not in hospital are in self-isolation at home.
“As such, these cases are being actively monitored by health care professionals and pose no existing risk of onward transmission,” he said. “The Public Health Department is in daily contact with all persons who have agreed to comply with best procedures for self-isolation while they wait for the results from CARPHA.”
Dr Williams-Rodriguez noted that around the world the number of negative test results is exponentially higher than positive results. In the United Kingdom, as of 6 March, more than 20,000 people had been tested and only 163 confirmed positive.
But he warned it was essential that Caymanians, residents and visitors continue to practice basic preventive hygiene will all help contain the spread. These include regularly washing hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and maintaining a social distance of around three to six feet between people.
“These things may seem insignificant but they have been proven to prevent infection,” Dr Williams-Rodriguez said. “A simple way to remember your personal responsibility in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 is to ‘Catch ‘em. Trash‘em. Contain ‘em’.”
Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee is urging members of the public with flu-like symptoms who feel there is a risk they may have the disease, to contact the HSA at flu@hsa.ky or via the flu hotline 1-800-534-8600.
For more information about minimising risk, visit the HSA website here. (Mobiles users visit the HSA website here.)
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Category: Health, Medical Health
CIG failure to act is going to get a lot of us killed. We should be following El Salvador’s lead by enacting a national quarantine, forbidding large gatherings, closing schools and encouraging those that can work from home to do so.
CIG doesn’t seem to care about prevention and only about damage control once the situation gets dire. There is no reason for us to sill be allowing cruise ships to dock and unsurprisingly cruise lines have been found to be lying to their customers about the seriousness of the virus and adding to that is the fact that CDC has recommended that people should avoid cruises but CIG is like….you are all welcomed here.
CIG took forever in enacting the travel ban and then when it was clear that other countries numbers were increasing at exponential rates they have failed to enact a ban on those countries.
We were given the ability to observe the infection rates increase rapidly around the world over the last few weeks and with that we should have acted accordingly to engage proper policies to ensure that our very fragile society would be impacted as little as possible but instead our leaders wasted the precious time that we were afforded and as a result some of us will die because of their inaction.
There are a lot of seniors and people with weaker immune systems in our small community who are very susceptible to this virus and it seems like CIG doesn’t give a hoot. I hope they realize that this outbreak will affect them and their families as well.
CIG seems to only be thinking of the monetary impact if travel bans etc were to be enacted but I would argue that an outbreak of a deadly virus that kills around 3.4% of our population would have a greater impact.
In the end, CIG had the ability to protect it citizens but taking the drastic measures that are required in a situation like this but once again they have failed this country and this time it will cost a good percentage of us our lives.
the fact that cig has failed issue factual updates on supply lines has lead to the panic buying and low stocks of certain ‘esentials’.
for this alone, the uk should step in straight away and set up direct rule.
we await your comments mr governor……….
Price Right is cleaned out. Shelves are empty. And if the effects of the virus continue to escalate, islands like Cayman, that are completely reliant on imports (including meds and food) for survival will be challenged. But islands like Jamaica and Cuba may be poised to be far more self sufficient, at least in terms of food security, during a global shortage since they have factories and the overall infrastructure to produce basic goods. As the United States starts to really feel the burn of this upcoming recession (or hysteria), and tighten their resources which may limit exports to our shores, Government may wish they’d established closer economic ties etc with our Caribbean and Central American neighbors. We cannot continue to tether our fate to North America. We need to nurture economic ties within the region and ramp up subsidies to local farmers to ensure more food security.
“Surgeon General Jerome Adams said communities will need to start thinking about canceling large gatherings, closing schools and letting more employees work from home, as many companies have done after an outbreak in the Seattle area.” I think cayman needs to start this before the virus actually reaches here …
This is a must read:
https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-03-11-20-intl-hnk/h_41f03e3f50840b148b78a4ce681b405e
We need to start putting measures into place to avoid the spread, it may not be here as yet but this is a SMALL islands and it will eventually get here. We have millions of tourist everyday and no one can say that they are 100% sure that ALL of the tourist coming onto the islands have been tested and cleared. Therefore we need to start working toward closing off access to the island.
ALL schools should have a plan in place where learning can be done at home, classes can meet at the same time using an app called ZOOM, assignments can be emailed or uploaded to school databases. This will not only protect people but will also cut down on environmental problems (less use of gas during transportation – less paper being uses – etc.)
Additionally, all work places should have plans in place where people can work from home.
Cayman needs to be put into full LOCK DOWN until this outbreak is over and a cure has been made.
stopped reading at “millions of tourists everyday”
The ignorance is baffling. A specialised lab is set up to test for viruses. All viruses in the region are sent to CARPHA for results. Every test we have done here – dengue, Zika, etc, are sent to CARPHA. this is no different. Even when we get the test kits, they have to be sent to Trinidad for test affirmation. Come on people.
Yeah – come on people! Please tell me what the basis is for us sending the tests to a country we do not even have direct flights to! We could get tests to England and back faster! The insistence on Carib centric solutions from education to healthcare is a disaster. Why not the USA or Canada?
Even better, why not invest in a lab here? People should be sending tests to us, not the other way around!
Back in FEBRUARY …. Jamaica got themselves ready to test which is why they can get back results in hours … We should have made an arrangement with them … not CARPHA … I am positive it is already here ,,,but we won’t get back results for a while to prove it…
https://jis.gov.jm/jamaica-can-now-test-for-coronavirus/
Is it now time for us to have run on toilet paper like those do called developed countries?
I wonder if the virus endsup in the wastewater treatment plant?
And they spray it on the dump to put out the fires.
We’ve had months to get ready proactively. What has been done? Why does it take six days to get test results back and why do we need another two weeks before we can test locally? When did we start getting ready to test locally? Yesterday?
If any of the tests are positive we will need to trace the hundreds of people they came in contact with. By the time we get the results six days from now all those contacts will be infected too, and will have infected thousands more. By the time we can test locally the horse will have long since bolted. That’s without even considering the unrestricted flights and cruise ships still coming in every day.
Do we have PPE and masks for our doctors and nurses? Do we have plans in place to check arriving visitors? Is there a procedure in place for social distancing and self-quarantine? Now would be a good time to announce those things and put them in place before we have confirmed cases.
Before the “it’s just the flu” brigade get going, I am not suggesting we’ll all die of Covid 19. Most of us will be just fine without a hospital bed or a ventilator. But there is a real possibility that our health services will be overwhelmed in the next 2 months and that should be alarming for anyone with family members that aren’t in good health.
And what happens if we’re all in lock-down? Who is going to unload the shipping containers or keep the supermarkets open? Who is going to run the power plant and the water treatment plant?
If CIG has dropped the ball on this it will dwarf the dump, Mac, the pier, the anti-gay nonsense, the blacklisting and everything else.
CIG lie to the people, take them off the cruise ship and test them.
You can thank the CIG for there shitty preventive measures.
Lets welcome a full outbreak on our little rock.
A six day period for testing results is utterly, utterly inadequate. One might say it is recklessly negligent. Half the island could be infected by the time those results are returned as proper control and contain decisions will not be made at the right time.
Cayman authorities have had a good 6 weeks to get prepared and get testing kits here, on island. That they still have not done so simply beggars belief. Instead we get more cruise port nonsense, government spending who knows what on abject propaganda, whilst the dump burns and sickness spreads.
Alden fiddling, while Cayman burns.
In the first world, testing takes 1 day to get results.
Cayman could use secure medical couriers (something similar to what DHL does), to get the medical sample/s sent to USA or UK for testing, and have those results emailed or phoned to Cayman govt health officer within 2-3 days. A lot shorter than the 6 days that our backward govt suggests. If there’s a cost to bear, then Cayman needs to pay it. Are we going to quibble over a few hundred dollars, for the sake of early diagnosis, and perhaps saving lives ? Or does it depend on whether you are a registered voter or not – ie are politicians only interested in saving people who vote for them ?
Maybe if a senior politician’s family member had Covid-19, action would be taken sooner. Shame on them all.
This is not a matter of test kits. Its not like a pregnancy test. It is a test for a specific previously unknown type of virus. It is about getting an actual lab ready and certified for testing for the virus. Its about training the lab tech to ensure that results are accurate. Given how quickly this started and progressed, we have done well to be able to have a lab ready in two weeks. Stop complaining and be grateful for once. How many islands in the Caribbean will have this? How easy do you think it is to get this done, given the current demand for the equipment to test for this?
It can be done on Cruise ships with answers within 24 hours for God’s sake!
Don’t believe everything you hear.
But I do believe that, because that is exactly how long it took to confirm 21 cases on the Grand Princess (with some help from a Coast Guard helicopter).
Spain is testing its entire government, and will have the results back WITHIN the day. Just sayin.
Facts
May I suggest you take the time to learn how the process works before commenting? There are no ‘kits’ as such; all that is required is a nasal or throat swap with a Q-tip or similar. These are sent to the laboratory in Trinidad and it takes a couple of days for the culture to develop.
There are suitable machines aleady on Grand Cayman, the necessary supplies for this particular test will be on island next week.
In any case, the Virus manifests in the same way as a common cold or influenza, there is no special treatment for it. All you can do is alleviate the symptoms and wait for the virus to take its course. If it develops into pneumonia or another specific disease then that can be treated in the normal way.
What part of control and contain don’t you understand?
I guess this means we have some limited number of test kits now…that’s at least good news.
Hey Tony, is this the gays fault too?
Yes it is
Such a stupid question
That’s the best you could come up with, in a time like this ?
First Joey is hearing about it.
Too busy with his chainsaw down at Smith Cove
Like what Mckeva would say….. That’s Gou-ment.
I hope for the love of Cayman that the people in West Bay don’t vote Capt Eugen, where is this fool. Austin, Dwayne, Aldin, Joey, Barbara, Tara, Juiliiana all got to be removed next term. Just hope the voters don’t vote anymore fools to be leaders of the Cayman Islands.
Wow and you managed to name them in order from the most useless. Actually, I’d swap Juliana with Joey but Capt Whogene is definitely the most useless. Why do ppl even vote for this man? What does he do? What does he ever say? West Bayer’s, do better!
You mean fools like you? I hope not. Idjit!
There are no alternatives. We simply do not have enough bright Caymanians on island. We are way in over our head.
Direct rule now.
Direct rule by who though, and to accomplish what ? You should spend more time staying in tune with global affairs, especially that of our colonial master, and also be careful with what you ask for !
To answer your questions, Jeremy Corbyn and Righteousness.
5:19, Mother in London. The corruption and pure self interest needs to be cleaned up with enforcement of laws that are already on the books. I wish for enforcement of basic laws and the prosecution of corruption. No one can do this on island. One does not have to be brilliant to see that.
You need to get off island and see how the rest of the developed western world deals with issues. Your awareness of global affairs is obviously abysmal.
I must give credit when it is due. Thank you CIG for being open and transparent and providing this critical information.
Keep us informed -keep us safe.
10:05. Do we really need the Government to tell us not to shake hands.
Aren’t we suppose to educate ourselves sometimes too.
Isn’t this supposed to be their job? Giving the public open & transparent information?
Failing on both points lately though…….
I don’t get why working from home is not in effect, probably 50% of the work force could work from home. Leaving it until positive cases are detected is too late.
The dominant cultures in Cayman all highly value punctuality and attendance. If you let everyone work from home, those can’t be measured. You’d have insomniacs getting the sleep they need and still getting their work done and getting promoted. Total anarchy.
Why is it we still have no test kits for the virus and have to wait at least 2 more weeks. Someone dropped the ball here.
Come on Anon you were doing so much better . Half the world doesn’t have test kits. The fact that we will have test kits in a few days is amazing.
Congrats to CIG for keeping us informed. I have been better informed about the landfill fire and the caronavirus that any other major event.
Other countries don’t have test kits because they’ve used them all up. We don’t have that excuse. My wife had a respiratory infection after meeting with some South Korean clients and asked to get tested for Covid and the health authorities weren’t interested.
We’ve had three months to prepare for this and appear to have done absolutely nothing to be ready to test possible cases.
Plus the flights and cruise ships are still coming unrestricted delivering thousands of possible infections every day.
Try 99% of the world has no test kits. But Trump says when the good weather comes in April we will all be better. This is just like flu. Can’t make this stuff up.
Was the patient at Health City the one they stated categorically only had flu and denied he had the Corona virus or was that someone else?.
You have to test a person without symptoms 3 times, for incubation period is from 5 to 28 days.
A person with severe symptoms should be tested for both flu and COVID19
Example:
Chickenpox incubation period is usually 14 to 16 days but can range from 10 to 21 days.
One if my kids got it exactly in 14 days (we knew when they were exposed), but another in 28.
https://www.hsa.ky/public_health/first-samples-sent-for-testing
No it wasn’t. it’s a completely different patient. You can check based on the arrival days. The patient being tested was taken off the cruise ship with a cardiac event. While staying in bed and recovering from surgery, respiratory symptoms developed as is often the case with post cardiac surgeries. They are testing this individual out of an abundance of caution
2.26pm As you seem well informed what’s happened to the flu patient – has he/she been discharged?.
When are we going to be able to do rapid Coronavirus testing in Cayman rather than sending samples overseas and waiting days if not weeks for the results to come back? The current situation is ridiculous.
It says in the article
Over 10,000 cases in Italy with a population of 60 million, to them that’s nothing, but imagine 10,000 cases here with only 70,000 people! Do the math, that would be 14% of our population infected just like that!
We need to take this seriously so it doesn’t get this bad! If these tests come back positive we should close all the schools and businesses for at least 2 weeks before people know they don’t have it. If this virus can do so much damage to countries with large populations, imagine how it would affect us!
Since you like your statistics, the other way of looking at it is this – 10,000 cases in a population of 60 million is an infection rate of 0.01%. Apply this to Cayman’s population of 70,000 and you get 12 cases. By all means take sensible precautions, but quit scaremongering.
Seriously? And China has had over 80,000 cases. Do the math! With only 70,000 of us 100% of is would have it and 10,000 of us would have to have it twice at the same time! Get a grip!
Talking of statistics isn’t the world getting a little over excited about this virus. According to the CDC the United States averages 36,000 deaths a year from the flu. So far 11 have died there from the virus. I highly doubt that Corona deaths will exceed 36,000 by the time it is contained and as 80% of those infected have very mild symptoms maybe we should all calm down a bit.
Meanwhile, no statement has been made encouraging people to bump elbows instead of shaking hands, children with cold symptoms are dropped off at school every day, workers with flu symptoms are at work, persons told to self quarantine are attending parties. The government’s response is a joke. Meanwhile the genie is out of the bottle and will circulate unabated. The social, economic and cultural impacts will be enormous.
So what do you suggest the Govt do with persons who are told to self quarantine but attend parties? Shoot them? Anchor them by the leg out by the NS reef?
We all have to be responsible for our actions. The person you kill could be your own elderly parent.
No. There needs to be criminal sanction for breaking quarantine. Other western countries are doing just that.
Because Cayman is so good at actually enforcing criminal offences. And what pray tell are you going to do with the quarantine breaker – send them to prison?
Well yes. After you send them to court. Got to spread them around you know.
There is a difference between medically imposed quarantine and self-isolation. Big difference.
Do what Jamaica did to their homeless ppl on the road when President Obama was visiting. The government injected/sedated them and placed them in an asylum until he left the country. Gave them brand new haircuts and clothes and sent them back on the streets once he left.
I thought they sent a bunch of them to Cayman.
And gave them status
I t was reported that North Korea is shooting anyone suspected of carrying he virus….. Just saying !!! shoot 1 save thousands
Stop watching Fox News. It’s messing up your head.
Unfortunately, Fox News is like crack to a lot of people around here, especially those in the financial services industry who want to see Republicans rule forever and will tolerate even Donald Trump if it helps put $$$$ in their greedy pockets.
How do you know that people who are supposed to be in quarantine are attending parties? If you know this is true, then tell us their name so they can be MADE to stay home.
LOL, they all up in the supermarkets and ting.
Right….the elbows we’ve been coughing into. Genius.
“Persons told to self quarantine are attending parties.”
Have you reported these people????
To who?