Governor credits mass testing as solution
(CNS): Since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the Cayman Islands back in March public health officials have tested 18,605 people, which places this jurisdiction among the top three countries in the world for per capita testing. Governor Martyn Roper credited this mass screening for enabling authorities to lift a significant number of the restrictions this weekend.
Speaking at Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing, the governor said he hoped the news about the easing of restrictions would give everyone a lift because they deserved it for the hard work and cooperation that has got Cayman this far. But he said he believed it was the mass testing that had played the key role in managing the pandemic here.
“Testing has been an outstanding success of our response,” he said, noting Cayman’s third place on the world testing table per capita. “It gives us the confidence to be able to move to Suppression Level Two because we have such a large evidence base to open up safely.”
Roper pointed out that there was still a lot of uncertainty and complexity around the world and some very difficult situations regarding the virus, especially in the United States.
“But we, at least, have got ourselves into a very positive position,” he stated. He added that government lockdown measures are being reduced all the time but the onus is now on everyone to show individual responsibility.
Roper urged people not to let their guard down and to ensure they followed hygiene and social distancing protocols, as he thanked the public for their part in getting to this point.
Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee revealed the good news that there were no positive cases in Wednesday’s batch of 385 processed results. Out of a total of 18,605 tests, 193 samples have been confirmed positive since testing began in March.
With just one fatality and 132 people having recovered from the virus, there are now just 60 active cases here but 58 people who tested positive remain asymptomatic. Of the two symptomatic patients, one is recovering in isolation at home and the other remains in the hospital. Dr Lee said that this person is stable and does not need any help with breathing.
He also revealed that while the screen testing programme continues on Grand Cayman, it has ended on Cayman Brac. He said that 51% of residents on that island have now been tested but just three cases have emerged, all of whom have long recovered, indicating that the virus is very unlikely to be present on the Brac now.
While the virus is still here on Grand Cayman, there are still no spikes or clusters since government began easing restrictions. Just under 400 people remain in government quarantine or self isolation.
Those in quarantine are mostly Caymanians and residents who have returned home in recent weeks from countries where there are still worrying levels of the virus, such as the US and the UK. Those who have tested positive or are contacts of those people remain in self-isolation at home under the supervision of public health.
Dr Lee also welcomed the success at Oxford University in the UK of trials of the drug dexamethasone for helping people who are very sick with COVID-19.
He explained that this is an inexpensive steroid that has now been cleared to use on coronavirus patients; it is a widely available drug used to treat many diseases and conditions. He said Cayman has stocks of the drug and it could be used here if it is required.
See the press briefing on CIGTV below:
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Category: Health, Local News, Medical Health
What’s that? Do I hear awards being bestowed upon our Governor and the Premier?
I personally do not care for our UK babysitter or the arrogant person who currently is the lead Caymanian politician – but give credit where credit is due – they have collectively done a much better job than many, many other leaders around the world.
And the reality of all this situation is that both the Governor and Premier are fully aware that the Cayman Islands future is heavily reliant upon $$$$ coming from the land of President Trump.
I remain,
Mo$e$ – Trump wannabe
Yep, Cayman loves and is hostage to the US dollar – truth.
Kudos to our Governor for all his efforts and keep up the excellent Work your Excellency at least you are on the ball with what is occurring Worldwide and see the paradigm shift or onslaught that these islands are about to face or go through economically and socially very shortly. Please keep those evacuation flights going to relieve this very troubling situation we now facing in this island.
Per His Excellency:
“Testing has been an outstanding success of our response,” he said, noting Cayman’s third place on the world testing table per capita. “It gives us the confidence to be able to move to Suppression Level Two because we have such a large evidence base to open up safely.”
I don’t get it – test numbers is Cayman is commendable but more testing reveals more positive cases. Isn’t that the real indicator of whether or not to “open up safely”? Just because most are asymptomatic doesn’t mean the virus isn’t here!
So what’s going to happen when we open up more (a bit too soon in my opinion) and asymptomatic positive cases – some who don’t have a clue they’re positive and some who don’t care a rass – resume normal interaction and inter-mingling here, there and everywhere? Coronavirus with flare-up just like the present trends in Florida and many other US states.
Are we supposed to become as complacent as them when we almost had our island to a level where it would have been much safer to re-open?? September would have been a much better time to implement Suppression Level Two.
Agree.
The Governor indicated that 51% of the Brac has been tested, “but just three cases have emerged, all of whom have long recovered, indicating that the virus is very unlikely to be present on the Brac now.” Thus, no more testing on the Brac. Wait, WHAT? So if there is a bloom or spike in cases in the Brac we won’t even know unless people become hospitalized?
Is that the plan for Grand Cayman? Test 51% and call it good? You notice both islands are now at the same level of repression.
I have just gone back to work, and glad for it. I don’t want to see damage to our economy more than it is, but let’s don’t kid ourselves here. I can already see on the streets people gearing up to ignore any of the last vestiges of government recommendations.
It feels like forfeiting a game, even though one was ahead.
well said. If you are on Brac, surely you must notice the lack of face masks, lack of social distancing and drinking of alcohol in the public park across the street from where one of the two Brac representatives attend church.
Matter of fact you can cross a number of places on Brac where both elderly citizens and others congregate – one being at the picnic benches at Panama Canal, just across the street and in view of the police station.
Government recommendations? Go to the grocery store where one Brac representative has their MLA office – staff in store have masks dropped down on chin and I would question the social distancing and occupancy rules.
So Beaumont if both your elected representatives are allowing this type of stuff to happen, what do you expect from the rest of the community??
I remain,
Mo$e$ – Trump wannabe
Wow, this is news? Mass testing is what DRK and Germany did in the first instance and now HSA has just discovered it?
I wanted to comment on Compass article but they blocked my account. How could they continue without getting feedbacks from the readers? Not a single comment. Are they being controlled by mafia?
No, not the mafia, just the government.
And most likely CIGs largest benefactor
How many false positives or negatives were generated from these now outdated tests purchased from South Korea?
What makes you say that the tests were outdated?
You do know that all positives & a percentage of negatives were sent off island to be validated?
Or do you still think that this virus is not real?
We don’t think it is not real, we know.
Only Martyn Roper and his military (want to) believe it is real.
So we bought 200,000 and have not even used 10% of what we purchased? Why?
Why not more tedting. Shouldn’t some front line workers who have been tested over 6 weeks sgo be tested again?
You do know we didn’t keep all 200,000?
At last count we still had over 100000 – more than 5 times what we have used. And instead of testing everyone we are going to start re testing the same front line workers.
If we open our borders & let tourists back, we will need all those tests before they expire at year end.
Poor me. I believe everything the government tells me.
Why are you STILL so ill-informed at this time????
From New Scientist 1991.
This is the end game. A vaccine that promulgates the 3rd strand of DNA.
Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13017644-100-science-a-triple-helix-to-cripple-viruses/#ixzz6PgBXakK4
——————————————
A technique to insert a third strand of DNA into the double helix of
specific genes could be used to throw a spanner into the works of the cell’s
machinery. The American scientists who developed this triple helix, or triplex,
technique hope to eventually cripple viruses in this way. The same approach
could also inhibit the hormone progesterone, and so terminate pregnancies.
Ever since the discovery of the double helix, it has been known that
there is room for a third strand of DNA, filling in a groove in the helix,
says Michael Hogan of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. But
until recently, there was no way to predict which sequence of nucleotides
– the letters of the genetic alphabet – would form this third strand.
———————————————–
Ask yourself, for whose sake is research done – really? Most research being done to date, is primarily done for the sake of research, secondarily for the sake of healthcare, and thirdly, if at all, for the sake of individual patients.
May be your great great grandchildren would benefit. If they will have enough money to pay for it.
An example.
There are more people with Dysautonomia, mostly young and in their prime, than MS and Parkinson taken together. Yet, a fraction of research money allocated to Dysautonomia compared to MS and Parkinson.
And doctors, nurses and EMT still ask…Dys…what???
1990 research papers already write about Dysautonomia, yet, in 2020 it still hasn’t reached clinical practices.
Dys-auto-nomia= dis-aw-tuh-noh-mee-uh
-DYS- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning “ill, bad“
-AUTONOMIA stands for an autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a control system that acts largely unconsciously and regulates bodily functions. Your body is run by an autopilot, ANS.
And now you can educate your doctor.
May be in 50 years you can educate your doctor about inserting a third strand of DNA into the double helix. Unless you could do it yourself at home by then.
So that would be the “Rod of Hermes” in the cadeucus?
Symbolic for Lucifer’s “you know what”.
Sounds like the Mark of the Beast to me.
So what you are saying is that in the Garden of Eden, Satan laid Eve. The first son (Cain) was a murderer and now Satan wants to infuse his DNA with us all over again?
Well, the Bible says that there is nothing new under the the sun, what has been will be and what will be already has been.
So the Cain people will murder the Abel people all over again?
Are you Cain or are you Abel?
If you hate God, you are Cain.
I used to be a Cain, but Jesus saved me and now I am an Abel.
God has made me happy. He is awesome.