Positive COVID case picked up in community

| 21/09/2020 | 75 Comments
Cayman News Service
Senior Forensic Scientist Christian Taylor operates a machine used in PCR testing

(CNS): The Cayman Islands has confirmed its first case of COVID-19 in the community for more than two months. Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee said the asymptomatic person had no relevant travel history and the case appears to be a past infection where the virus is still lingering. He said the test picked up inactive viral particles but it will be reported as a community positive.

In light of the positive sample, which was conducted over the weekend, 14 other people who were close contacts of this person have also been tested and all of their samples were negative. But the CMO said investigations into other contacts continue.

“Over the weekend, someone was found to have detectable SARS-CoV-2 viral particles as part of the routine screening programme,” Dr Lee said in his daily report on COVID-19 testing. “Immediate contact tracing and isolation was instituted around this asymptomatic positive case and a number of swabs for close contacts were taken. Fourteen swabs of these close contacts have proven to be negative for the virus causing COVID-19 disease and the investigation is ongoing.”

He added, “There is no relevant travel history and it appears that this case is a past infection which is still lingering in this person’s body. The very sensitive PCR test has picked up inactive viral particles – however, the test will be reported as a community positive to PAHO/WHO.”

But Dr Lee said government has no plans to change the current suppression level, as he encouraged everyone invited to contribute to the ongoing screening programme to please come forward for testing if invited.

Alongside this positive case, another 192 samples tested since Friday were all negative. There are also three individuals in quarantine who are still considered active cases after they tested positive earlier this month, so Cayman now has four asymptomatic cases of COVID-19.

The running total of positive cases is now 210 and public health officials have carried out 37,810 tests for the coronavirus. Meanwhile, there are 232 people in government facilities, or supervised home isolation, including the 29 individuals testing out the new geofencing technology.


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Comments (75)

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  1. Coe Vid says:

    This article is going viral!.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Unna wa’ celebrating too soon, man.

    Can’t say you’re covid free unless the whole place test. Simple. The tourism unna look fa, goin’ lock unna down again.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Let’s just divide the island in two. Scaredy cats and Kool Aid drinkers on one side and normal people going about their business on the other.
    Before long, the fakers will give it up.

  4. Anonymous says:

    The lethal virus (if you have cancer, heart disease, chronic diabetes, suicidal tendencies and asthma), so lethal you need to be tested to see if you have it.
    Er Boss, very few people are overtly sick, they can breathe just perfectly and they have normal temperatures.
    Well, then, they must be asymptomatic carriers.
    Sure Boss.

    The only reason why there were no deaths (except one “dubious” one) in Cayman was because in a small community, any shenanigans would have had the whistle blown straight away.
    Cayman is a society that finds it hard to keep secrets.

    Sorry. I am calling a foul. No replay necessary. This is going to go down in history as the greatest hoax perpetrated on humanity.

    Come back and thumb me down after MartYn Roper announces the second, more restrictive lockdown. I have it on good authority that it is not if, but when…. Weeks apparently.
    Jamaica is convenient overrun and we will no doubt have a “situation”.

    If we don’t stand up to this, we will all fall. Many more businesses will close and peoples’ lives will be ruined because of this fakery.

    • Anonymous says:

      To the thumbs warriors, probably based in the UK, why would you thumb me down when you know bloody well a second lockdown is very, very close?
      You should thumb me up for being proactive surely?
      Go ahead, thumb me down again.
      Please polish those Commando badges, Winston Churchill would not approve.

    • Anonymous says:

      So, you heard another lockdown for Cayman even though “COVID free”? Really? I was figuring the all clear was coming soon.

      • Anonymous says:

        I wish, Bro, I wish. Alas, it is not good news. This year will be horrific. Do what you need to in order to take care of your loved ones.
        It is always prudent to be prepared.
        If nothing happens, great. But if something does, then you were the smart one.
        The fancy chaps in their beachfront condos will be the first ones knocking on your door.
        They will no doubt present a dishevelled wife and hungry kids.
        The US Dollar is finished Bro’. It will be swift. Your job will be irrelevant.
        The elite are putting the last hurting on gold and silver. After that, they are done.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Swedish authorities are weighing whether to tighten restrictions in the capital Stockholm after a localized uptick of coronavirus cases over the past few weeks.

    “Stockholm has seen a clear increase recently, across all age groups,” chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said on a press conference. “We are discussing with Stockholm whether we need some additional possibility to take measures to reduce transmission.”

    • MG says:

      Later on in the same article you are quoting:

      Stockholm currently has 27 coronavirus patients being treated in the region’s hospitals and two of them are in intensive care units. At the peak of the pandemic, in April, Stockholm hospitals were treating more than 1,100 people with Covid-19.

      Stockholm’s population is 15-20x the size of the Cayman Islands. Hardly sounds like a disaster to me?

    • Anonymous says:

      Taking one quote from an article without any context is intellectually dishonest…

    • vegetarian says:

      11.39am Maybe you should cut back on the Suedes.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Drug boats from Jamaica will cause an increase in cases.
    If not already.

    • Dureen Brown says:

      if you did not mention Jamaica you would die, why you guys hate us so much Covid-19 is everywhere it’s global.

      • Anonymous says:

        It ain’t Haitians smuggling in drugs (and other contraband in under cover of darkness. That is why Jamaica gets a special mention!

      • Anonymous says:

        99 percent of ganja is purchased in Jamaica and thats facts. Its nothing racial! Id rather pay 100 for a pound that 800. Count how many busts they had and count how many came in. Cuba does not grow it much nor’ anywhere in reach.

      • Anonymous says:

        correct, it is everywhere but tell me then where are most of the drugs and guns that land in Cayman coming from?

      • Anonymous says:

        It’s the Jamaicans ways, they don’t want to wait their turn in line, always pushing up to the front. They have bad manners, stops in the middle of the drive lane to talk to a friend an won’t move, won’t dim their car lights at light, walking or riding bicycles at night no light an dark clothes on, an if spoken they for their own good, they curse at you, always smoking Ganga an or selling it, most of the crime from expats are caused by them, they are the only ones running drugs and guns in canoes to here etc, etc, etc But the educated jamaicans is different. They fine people.

        • Anonymous says:

          You have also just described your own Caymanian people to a T!
          You can replace both “Jamaicans” and “Caymanians” by using the term “West Indians”.
          There. I fixed it.

        • Anonymous says:

          So the distinction is education and not nationality. Do you realize that applies to all nations? In that light kindly remind of the excellent educational institutions Cayman has. Before answering please note that most Caymanians stuck abroad, or recently returning, were away to place their children in schools. Why would that be?

        • Anonymous says:

          As a Jamaican I will admit that Jamaicans do have a bad reputation so it’s expected that people will assume certain things about us. I’m not offended because I know I’m not like THOSE Jamaicans they talk about. Just like how people have a bad perception of Muslims because of Islamic terrorists, it’s just human nature to judge a whole group based on an action taken out by one of them. I’m not saying it’s right but it’s how we are… 🤷‍♂️

      • Anonymous says:

        You missed the point altogether.
        Now the police have found an unmanned drug boat this morning so now we have someone or somebody’s roaming the streets that could be carrying the virus

    • Anonymous says:

      EXACTLY!! There has never been a better time to legalize weed, because the boats will not stop coming until we can grow it here ourselves!

    • Anonymous says:

      They spend lots of time outdoor. Their vitamin D levels are probably high enough to protect them from viruses.
      But you are doomed, unless you write your comments sitting on the beach under direct sunlight.

    • Anonymous says:

      Dumbass, covid-19 can’t survive on the drug boats plus they’re bringing the cure for it, just means people like u need to wake up and smell the rose bud.

      • Anonymous says:

        Why cant they survive on a boat? “dumbass” and weed is not a cure for covid lol

        • Anonymous says:

          Have you tried? If not, on what basis do you make your statement? Sun, sea mist and good spirit kill viruses. Never going to be “scientifically”
          tested, unless you personally finance the study.

      • Anonymous says:

        You missed the point too

  7. Anonymous says:

    Past infection…Sounds like they’re in denial.

  8. Anonymous says:

    It’s so deadly and contagious he didn’t know he had it and none of his close contacts became infected ZzzzZZzzzzz

  9. Anonymous says:

    So how long did she have it, walking around and spreading it, before it was caught with testing?

  10. Anonymous says:

    A past infection is no big deal. It isn’t an active case so no real need to worry here.

    • Anonymous says:

      Viral shedding is how the virus spreads – esp among healthy-feeling asymptomatic.

      • J|) says:

        I think you’ve misunderstood the term of viral shedding. Viral shedding involves active viral progeny. This is a case of detecting inactive genetic material.

        A virus is simply genetic material in a specialized package as a byproduct of evolution. The package is what allows the genetic material to be ‘injected’ into host cells. Host cell’s mechanisms then replicate the virus’ RNA code (sometimes DNA), and eventually the cell “sheds” viruses / bursts open when the cell’s resources are depleted, releasing them.

        Without the packaging the virus is inactivated but the genetic material is still able to be detected. Said genetic material has to be isolated from the packaging after inactivating the virus in the sample regardless, so intact or not really doesn’t matter and yea, no big deal to detect it in PCR.

        Please let me know if I’m the only one out there not using test tube brushes to clean their nasal passages on a weekly basis.

        • MVM says:

          Perhaps when the body keeps the inactive material around for a while, it’s the same functionality as a vaccine but naturally. Vaccines are inactivated pathogens or key components of them, after all.

  11. Anonymous says:

    This is why I’m not going to get tested. Won’t be losing my liberties unnecessarily

  12. Because the Azores, guys! says:

    This is what Paradise looks like. Compare to Cayman.

    We Sailed 912 Nautical Miles to get here. Giddy up 🤙
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVR_QpAAof8

    Oh, by the way, no quarantines, just a test and then you are free to go.
    A Most PAINFUL Virus Test.. and then WE’RE FREE to Explore! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENOgPvA_uA8&t=1s

  13. Anonymous says:

    So the test picked up inactive viral particles in someone you know previously had the infection? So in other words, this person didn’t recently pick up the virus from anyone in the community who has it – you know, community transmission? But you’re still going to ruin our run of no community transmission, reporting this as such when it isn’t, bumping us down the rankings of how well we’re dealing with Covid. Gee thanks Dr Lee, way to look out for our best interests. For my part, we still haven’t had any community transmission, and we won’t until someone who has an active viral load passes it on to someone else. Dr Lee seems to be able to see a ‘very low concern’ interpretation the rest of the time – why couldn’t he with this one? Instead of putting us back on all the lists of places with recent community transmission when that hasn’t occurred.

    • Anonymous says:

      To be fair it doesn’t really matter what rating we have if we aren’t letting anyone come here, and the 800 or so coming next month are 90% returning residents who dropped off kids to school or uni, and seeing some family, so don’t really count. Plenty of people want to come, but can’t get permission, the rating means diddly.

      • Anonymous says:

        I’m not concerned about tourist confidence in visiting here, I am concerned about our reputation for solid public health action and safety, one which we have the opportunity to earn and really cement given the failures elsewhere in the world. We don’t need to be reporting false positives or inactive viral particles from previously sick patients who aren’t contagious. If there has been no transmission from one person in the community to another, there has been no community transmission. But Dr. Lee wants to tell the world we’ve just had an instance of it when we haven’t. It’s not accurate and it’s not right to report that. His judgement is suspect a little too often in my view.

        • Anonymous says:

          So the article says the person appears not to have passed it on to family members, but – where did they get it??? That is the community transmission part that’s being reported, the part that no one seems to know where the positive case picked it up, not that they can’t trace whether the positive case passed it on.

          Of course, if you know better, what are your qualifications?

          • Anonymous says:

            My understanding of the article is that this person already had the virus previously and these are just lingering inactive particles that barely crossed the threshold for detection. So whether the virus was originally acquired through travel or the community, it happened before now, hence why report a community transmission now?

            Read what Dr. Lee said carefully:

            “There is no relevant travel history and it appears that this case is a past infection which is still lingering in this person’s body. The very sensitive PCR test has picked up inactive viral particles – however, the test will be reported as a community positive to PAHO/WHO.”

            Please explain to me how that is a community transmission. He concedes it isn’t but says he will report it as one anyway. Why.

            • Anonymous says:

              What part of “the test will be reported as a community positive” means that it is not a community transmission? Is there a definition of “community” that doesn’t mean “community” that I’m missing here?

              • Anonymous says:

                You’re saying if the person has no relevant travel history then even if these particles are the remnants of a previous infection it was still a community transmission when it occurred. I still don’t understand why we would report having had a community transmission *now* when this person has transmitted to no one and the results indicate this infection is old and harmless. I understand if the person never travelled they must have got it from someone in the community but that is not the same thing as ‘Cayman just had a community transmission – put us on all the bad lists again’. They let someone without permission to travel here stay, they gave a slap on the wrist to a quarantine-breaker, they didn’t charge Min. Seymour’s wife, they’ve had plenty of other generous/lenient intepretations but with this one, just couldn’t find out, had to ruin our record. I just don’t think it’s right. You’re entitled to your own opinion.

                • Anonymous says:

                  The person got it from someone in the community therefore it is listed as community transmission. So, you know at least one other person has it. Doesn’t matter if it is old or new, it came from the community. If they got it from traveling, it would be listed different.

    • Anonymous says:

      Goes to show one can test positive and not spread the virus.

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, precisely. Which is the same basis he let other people slip by on. But for some reason with this one he needs to end our no-community-transmission streak. Why?

  14. Anonymous says:

    Here it goes – the new reality has hit home😭

  15. Anonymous says:

    What a joke

  16. Anonymous says:

    Is this not the reason the CDC says past positive people should not be tested for 90 days unless the have symptoms?

  17. FACTS says:

    Unfortunately not even our wonderful bubble is immune to Murphy’s law.

  18. Anonymous says:

    What exactly is “relevant” travel history? Either they have travel history or they dont…why the need for classifications now? Sounds like self isolation as approved by govt isnt working out?

    • Anonymous says:

      Q: When was the last time you travelled?
      A: Two months ago.
      Q: And you quarantined and got tested negative then?
      A: Yes.

      Then your travel history is not relevant.

      While I don’t know this case I do know the fun use of language when trying to be accurate, truthful, and protect privacy. Which can be how you can have a travel history that is not relevant.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Mask time! Lockdown soon come

  20. Elvis says:

    Lets face it, this thing isn’t going away anytime quickly,
    It will begin to grow and grow as travelers arrive and it lingers in old cases u til it is ready to strike us.
    It basically is what it is accept it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Agreed. So why get rid of the mask and social distance requirements?

      • Anonymous says:

        Social engineering. Wake up.
        Can’t give your mate a handshake or hug your friend.
        So much bullshit has created distance between people.
        We were created tactile beings in the image of our loving Creator.
        Tired of these thugs.

    • Anonymous says:

      Spoken in the thick accent of a French Legionnaire, “just give up and surrender. What’s the point in fighting. Let’s make love, and drink wine…we all perish eventually”.

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