Latest COVID-19 tests results all negative

| 11/08/2020 | 26 Comments

(CNS): The Cayman Islands is continuing its unbroken four-week streak of negative COVID-19 tests results with no positive cases among the 123 test samples processed over the last day, Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee reported. Cayman has now carried out 31,881 tests and recorded only 203 positive cases. At present that are 171 people in isolation, having returned from overseas.

The success in containing the virus here comes against the backdrop of cases worldwide surpassing 20 million.

New Zealand had enjoyed a 102-day run without a single positive case until yesterday but four new cases in Auckland have led to a full lockdown in that city to prevent the virus from getting a grip after the country’s significant success in control the pandemic.

By 4pm Tuesday, the United States had added another 46,400 cases to its tally of almost 5.3 million, of which almost 2.4 million remain active. The state of Florida alone has recorded well over 540,000 cases of coronavirus with almost 483,000 still active. The situation in Florida continues to present a major problem for the authorities here when it comes to opening Cayman’s borders.

The 30-day run without any positive tests could easily turn into an outbreak and a surge of cases if the borders are opened, since most people coming into Cayman will be passing through Miami to get here.

While government had been promoting the idea of bio-buttons as a way to help visitors return and avoid two week quarantine, it has been silent on the subject for several weeks. It has also been several weeks since the last COVID-19 press briefing.

In his regular social media postings Governor Martyn Roper urged people to continue the protocols of social distancing, mask wearing and frequent hand washing that have so far contained the pandemic here, which he said would be part of our lives until a safe and effective vaccine is found.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed his scientists have found it. According to international news report, a vaccine developed in Russia for COVID-19 has already been given regulatory approval after less than two months of testing on humans. Putin said the vaccine had passed all the required checks and it has already been given to his daughter. Russia is now planning a mass vaccination programme in October with the shot, which was named Sputnik-V.

However, health experts in the West have already raised concerns that researchers might be cutting corners. And amid fears that safety might have been compromised, the World Health Organization (WHO) urged Russia to follow international guidelines for vaccine production.

There are around 100 vaccines in early development around the world with some of those already in human clinical trials. Most experts think an effective vaccine for COID-19 will not be available until the middle of next year.


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Category: Health, Medical Health

Comments (26)

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  1. #quarantineroomscaymanneeded says:

    Hi CNS,

    Can you please provide an update if you have any on the quarantine facility in Cayman? A lot of people trying to get back – Caymanians and residents. You send you form to travel time and you hear absolutely nothing back. If they have no rooms why are they telling people to apply knowing quite well there are no rooms

  2. Anonymous says:

    Seems the now 5 news cases in New Zealand may have come into the country via cold storage freight!

    If we are going to keep the tourists as they poss a risk what are we going to do about food?

    We may as well open up as there seems no way to stop this from coming in unless we starve.

    At lease we can pre test the tourists there is no way to swap every package!

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  3. Anonymous says:

    No, but maybe they should be. Take and move Scranton there as well.

  4. Anonymous says:

    CNS, if possible, find out about quality controls in test kits storage, samples collection and transportation to the lab. How often quality assurance testing is performed. Because it is not optional but a requirement. There must be documented trials of quality assurance testing performed by a third party

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    • Anonymous says:

      Do you mean a statement along the lines of what Dr. Lee went through over and over again in the press briefings?

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    • Anonymous says:

      These have been explained at press briefings before.

      • Anonymous says:

        Before they had positives. Only negatives now. Quality assurance testing is an ongoing process. It includes test kits storage, samples collection, transportation and lab testing.

        • Anonymous says:

          …and the process for quality control including for negatives was discussed at least three different times.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    This trend of negative results is certainly wonderful news.
    On the other hand, we cannot let our guard down, when you see what has happened in Vietnam and New Zealand, who both went for long stretches without any cases. We must continue to be vigilant.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Full community testing is the only way to be sure, but even that’s not perfect as the test is only as good as the moment you take it. But you just know many won’t attend in the few days needed to report to district health centres, so it’s wait and see time.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Nobody cares. They want to leave island for a vacation and people want to come here for one.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Instead of re testing the same persons, get the testing stations out to the back streets of west bay, dog city, the swamp and rock hole and get a true picture

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    • Anonymous says:

      Just need some positives don’t you. Have to justify the extreme stance taken by government.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And George Town? Why is always West Bay when half of you move here to rent. People seem to forget there is pieces of sh*ts right next door to you.

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      • Anonymous says:

        3 of the places they listed are in GT. You clearly aren’t Caymanian. Just a troll.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Don’t worry. 5:06 writes that repetitively. My bet is the writer wouldn’t give one minute to volunteer, in any way, to test persons in those areas. Even though many wonderful human beings live in those areas.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Rock Hole, Swamp, Dog City all George Town, think they were being kind to West Bay

      • Anonymous says:

        I didn’t realize Dog City, Swamp and Rock Hole were in West Bay.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    #notnews

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