Seven COVID cases recorded in one week
(CNS): With the number of travellers arriving in the Cayman Islands on the increase this month, the positive cases of COVID-19 among those in isolation is rising too. Seven returning people tested positive for the coronavirus this week after another two tests from a batch of 295 samples processed on Friday came back positive. Both individuals are said by officials to be asymptomatic and remain in isolation.
There are currently 14 active confirmed cases of the virus among the 1,052 people who are either isolating at home or in government quarantine facilities. Just one patient is symptomatic, according to previous statements by public health officials, who said the individual had only mild symptoms. No further information has been released about that patient’s current status.
Meanwhile, the situation around the world remains dire, in particular in the two countries from which the majority of returning travellers come from or pass through: the United States and the United Kingdom.
In the US, a shocking 204,179 people contracted the virus on Friday and 1,999 people died. There are currently over 4.7 million active cases in America, and while all states are now seeing an increase in the spread of the infection, Florida remains a trouble spot, with over 920,000 recorded cases, more than 273,000 of which are active.
The UK, which does not record active cases, saw more than 20,000 new cases on Friday with over 500 new deaths.
In neighbouring Jamaica, the third gateway for returning travellers to Cayman, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases passed 10,000 this week. Jamaica now has a tally of 10,240 cases, with 4,522 of them active. To date, 237 people have died and a least a dozen people are currently critically ill with the virus.
Category: Health, Medical Health
Although CIG seems to have no interest in requiring pre-testing it stands to reason they should consider changing the protocol. After reading many medical articles and listening to countless interviews with doctors it seems the consensus is that the most likely time for a positive PCR test result is 5 days post-exposure. With this in mind, it would make sense for CIG to require returning individuals to test within 5-7 days of arrival, provide proof of a negative test, retest upon arrival, quarantine for 5-7 days, then test negative before being released from quarantine. Keep in mind that regardless of the protocols in place there will be people that test positive upon arrival or at the end of their quarantine.
I realized many people are terrified of this virus and fearful of another lockdown. There is no doubt the virus is deadly for some and another lockdown is something no one wants to face. Personally I am terrified thinking about those individuals facing the loss of their business and livelihood. Some folks seem to think the loss of tourism-based businesses is a sacrifice worth making but in the end the more business that close their doors forever will effect the economy for years to come. Surely by summer 2021 CIG will be open to finding a way to bring tourism back and maybe, just maybe some of the business treding water to keep from going under can manage to stay afloat long enough to survuve.
Check out this article regarding testing, the timing of testing, and types of tests.
https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/your-covid-19-testing-questions-answered
“…just maybe some of the business treding water to keep from going under can manage to stay afloat long enough to survuve…”
HOW?
1:58 I wish I knew how those businesses will manage to stay afloat long enough to survive. I worry about them, many are owned by dear friends and they have no idea how to plan for the future because they have no clue when tourism might return. Our friends that own a dive company have let their employees go, they have a hand full of locals that dive with them but it’s not enough to support their business. Reopening will happen at some point, I just hope and pray it’s not at the point of no return for friends and others that can’t survive without tourism.
Have been saying the same for 5 months now!
I think it is time to switch focus on disappearing SMB. It is quite shocking to see what is left of it.
don’t worry about SMB, the Cayman government have already done a fine job of decimating the tourism industry, SMB isn’t even needed anymore since we have no tourists.
Round these parts we call it Four Mile Beach.
3.5
Absolute ridiculous statement to make saying SMB not needed anymore since no tourists. We have 60,000 people who have learned to appreciate the beach even more to and to spend time at the beach with their families and friends. the beach is there firstly for the local population and then tourists. Period.
Not sure where youve been but unless you own or stay in a condo or stay in a hotel, the thousands of us residents you are referring to barely get to access the beaches anymore
True, thanks to the brilliant legal minds that gave the scrooge seaside property owners rights to the high water line. High enough yet?!!!!
I hope they still teach kindergarteners how to share in school.
Those breaching quarantine LAW need to be dealt with swiftly and decisively no matter who they are.Enforce Law CIG the chosen few were not here when we could not even go to the friggin beach because of a few jackasses who needed to be deported or prosecute. Some countries are in level 5 suppression now because of folks just like them and their hocus pocus theories and lack of regard for other people’s safety.On here talking about freedoms they do not even enjoy in their own countries.
Don’t be so reactive. Hold your horses.
What you are proposing reminds me medieval times when alleged witches were stoned and burned.
Quarantine breach could be justified for many legal reasons. Or there were no breach.
And let me paraphrase your comment: Those who breaking any LAW need to be dealt with swiftly and decisively no matter who they are. House Speaker McKeeva Bush has been charged with four offenses in April 2020. How swiftly and decisively it was dealt with?
8:50 am, very true. I heard about some of the people arriving from Miami to the Brac have been seen out an about already. Dont know if it’s TRUE. Who are supposed to monitor them on the Brac ?
CIG protocol was returning or those travelling to Cayman were to have been tested 48 hours prior to travel and present a Doctor certificate indicating negative result to enable travel to Cayman. They also should be tested prior to embarking. Obviously these procedures are NOT being enforced?????
The test results are only accurate and relevant on the day of testing. Any can get the virus right after testing which would not be reflected on the certificate.
That was never the requirement, but per testing should have been.
Stay Positive!
will keep asking:
are the infected in government facility or at home?
if they tested positive at home, are they then moved to government facility?
No They stay home IF they where home already.
No, if you test positive you stay at home. At least that’s what happened to us back in the summer. Probably safer as you won’t then infect anyone involved in your transfer.
Dearest 7:13am because they would not be able to get on the flight!!! to foil Capn Kirkonnell’s plot to have another Lockdown and relieve our over populated wid Caymanians issue Comprenday Hombre!
Shame on the 2 Brac M P’s for allowing people to come direct from Miami to the Brac and isolate at home. Who are going
make sure they stay home and their friends not going to see them. Don’t tell me DC and staff, they can’t even get in to work on time. And police on the Brac don’t even dim their light at night for oncoming traffic, that’s too hard job for them to do.
10.02am How many seats do they fill on the direct flights from Miami to the Brac – more insanity, kowtowing to a few self important Brackers and having CAL lose even more money.This must stop.
Come on Governor and Premier, make it mandatory that people coming to Cayman have to be tested with a negative results within a day before they can be allowed to board a flight. I hope if the c-virus gets in the community they will get sued for it .
Why are people not being tested before they get on the flight? Surely common sense would suggest you need to provide a negative test at least 48 hours before takeoff.
Why? It is not determinative that you are not positive. What we are doing is the safest option, and it works!
Even if they test negative doesn’t mean they won’t test positive in the following days. There is a two week incubation period with this virus.
Also, people can come into contact with the virus after being tested. Not everyone is going to isolate 48 hours before their flight.
Just so you know, the Cayman Islands is CLOSED to anyone who doesn’t have a legal right to be here. How can you tell a Caymanian, who might test positive, not to come home? Plus, and this is a big one, we have a strict two isolation program in full effect. And here is the kicker, the vast majority of persons who test positive -LIVE. Your argument would be a good one if we were open to tourism. But we are not. The flip side of being successful with our stance is that we kill businesses and make people go hungry. And the longer this continues …
You would say. Stay where you are until you can’t spread the virus. You love the island so much help keep your family and friends safe.
The island is NOT closed, this is absolutely NOT true. I know several people that have family here visiting. And many coming for Christmas.
I also know of a person that came just to quote on a prospective job. Quarantined for 2 weeks, swanned around with pals for a week (along with the job bid) and then left. And I can assure you that there are plenty of local businesses that could do that job, but not at his price…
As long as one need permission to land, it is CLOSED. The fact that government allows family to visit is merely humane. The island remains CLOSED. Ask any one who relies on tourism. Perhaps drive around George Town with your eyes open to see how many places are CLOSED.
yes keep asking…we might one day get an answer that makes sense.
It’s too easy to fake test results.
Because it takes up to 14 days from infection to test positive. It stands to reason a test 48 hours before would only pick up a fraction of those actually infected. Yes it would pick up 1 or 2 but we would still need to quarantine for 14 days here to be sure to pick up those false negatives and those who caught it after the test. Pre flight testing would be a marginal improvement on what we have but it couldn’t replace it unless you want to take more risk which is a whole other argument.
Not True!…The most accurate day to PCR Test is day 7-8! Pre Flight testing works in other places and it would minimise the risk of flying with someone on a flight that has it.
Please educate yourself a little more before using the “common sense” angle. You are not making sense which is very common here on this island.
even if you test negative 48-hours before the flight, you could catch the virus between testing and flight time. It’s a false safety net to think that having a negative test before you fly really means anything. The only way to be sure is what we are doing, quaratine for 14 days and then test – and test negative to get out.
7 cases record virus 🦠 in the pirates 🏴☠️ week…