Another COVID patient dies at HCCI

| 16/11/2021 | 136 Comments
Cayman News Service
CMO Dr John Lee on Radio Cayman

(CNS): Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee revealed that another patient who had tested positive for COVID-19 has died. The person was admitted to Health City Cayman Islands in East End as a result of other medical conditions and passed away early Monday morning, the CMO said during an appearance on Radio Cayman Tuesday.

Although the patient had tested positive for SARS‐CoV‐2, this was not the primary cause of their death. He said this was also the case with the patient who died on Saturday, and expanded on the premier’s report on the death in a video message on Saturday, when he said “the cause of death was unrelated to COVID-19”.

Clarifying how COVID deaths are reported, Dr Lee said, “In both of these cases… I understand that COVID will be listed as a cause of death. The way death certification works, you list the thing that brought somebody’s ultimate demise as number one, and then you go through all the other contributory factors, and it will be listed as one of the contributory factors, so it will be called a COVID death… The World Health Organization sets out how you should describe these things.”

Dr Lee explained that, for example, COVID-19 would not be listed on the death certificate of a person killed in a car accident who also happened to test positive for the virus “because it played no part in their ultimate demise”.

After ten weeks of the community spread in Cayman, which followed a period of no locally transmitted infections for more than a year, Dr Lee said that he hoped to see the positive numbers start to come down in the next few weeks. So far, he said, the hospital has been coping with the number of admissions without stressing its other services.

Fifty-five beds have been set aside across all three hospitals on Grand Cayman, which breaks down to 25 at the HSA and 25 Health City, with just a handful of beds at the Doctors Hospital, so that all the facilities could continue offering regular services, Dr Lee said.

Around 38% (about 20 people) of these beds currently being used for COVID-19 patients, which means that the health services were coping with room to spare. He noted that most of these patients are at the HSA and that staff were working extremely hard to take care of them.

Combined with a high vaccination rate and the broad adherence to prevention protocols, Dr Lee said that lateral flow testing was really helping, as it enabled people to isolate before they can spread the virus and prevent a surge that could over-stretch the hospitals.

Cayman has now had four deaths listed as COVID-related since the virus first emerged here in March 2020. No further figures had been confirmed at the time of Dr Lee’s radio appearance regarding the latest positive and active cases.

The vaccination clinic has now reopened following the arrival of a new batch of Pfizer vaccines from the UK. See the schedule here

See Dr Lee on Radio Cayman below:


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Category: Health, Medical Health

Comments (136)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Cayman celebrates the life of ‘local fishing legend’. See today’s compass article on the TRUE COD of this fine gentleman. May his soul RIP. Will think of you sir next time I’m at 12 mile bank.

  2. Anonymous says:

    So Austria decides to lockdown the injection-refusers.
    So they demonstrated peacefully and the police pepper sprayed elderly people whose only crime was to speak their mind.

    Absolutely disgusting.

  3. Anonymous says:

    The question should be how did these especially vunerable, already sick individuals, one who was already in hospital ICU, catch COVID.

    Did the hospital let in unvaccinated, untested visitors or was it caught from someone at the hospital with bad PPE protocals.

    If the later and the hospital is not investigating going to the same hospital with a non covid serious medical emergency will all be in the same danger

    • Anonymous says:

      I thought they tested positive on admission?

    • Anonymous says:

      Good point.

    • Anonymous says:

      When one gets sick and goes to the Hospital and the doctor says you got so and so and needs surgery or antibiotics to save your life, you agrees to do what he says, now the doctor says its best for your health and may save your life to get the Vaccine. But now you don’t believe him, why? why?

  4. JTB says:

    So the total number of people who have died of Covid in Cayman remains, er, zero.

    • Anonymous says:

      If you could read you would note that Covid was a factor in all the deaths reported as Covid deaths in Cayman.

      • Anonymous says:

        they died with covid, not because of it

      • Rick says:

        If you could read, you would know that there was no basis for saying that COVID was a factor, it was listed because of a WHO rule, probably made by bureaucrats and politicians and not medical people.

  5. Anonymous says:

    The relentless division among the community regarding all things Covid really needs to end. It really is time we all stopped and just calmed down and started to respect eachother again.
    This latest bizarre division over whether someone died from a virus or not is just the latest in a long line of overly politicized stand-offs that have enveloped the entire Covid19 episode.
    Look, the fact is someone died. They tested positive for Covid19. Would another person have died that had no underlying conditions at all and was not old? Probably not. That’s it really. That’s all you need to know. It’s as near an unarguable position as can be taken on this.
    And it rolls right back into what for me seems to be completely wrong about all of this – it does seem that we can identify who is at risk for severe illness from Covid 19. The old and the ill and the immune-compromised.
    For some reason, we are all embarking upon a willing acceptance of giving up our freedoms and medical autonomy to take vaccines that for the most of us are pretty useless (See the difference between ARR and RRR). Most of us have perfectly fine immune systems and health that can easily handle a bout with Covid19.
    The global #’s simply do not justify how governments are acting and don’t justify everyone being coerced into taking repeated injections.
    Yet we are. I don’t get it. Maybe some genius psychoanalyst can work it out.
    But either way, someone died. Someone who may not have if they’d not been carrying other illnesses.
    Which is my point all along – we know who’s in trouble. Why are we not just helping them protect themselves and letting everyone else get on with it?
    I’ll never understand how it’s come to this.

    • Anonymous says:

      another anti-vaxxer who won’t admit what they are.

      • Anonymous says:

        They actually sound like they are much more than the emotive label “anti vaxer” which you are using in a decisive and condescending manner.

        I’m pro vaccination because it make sense to me, if they, as rational as they seem, don’t want to get on “protecting the vulnerable” by taking the vaccine themselves I will appeal to their humanity, but they might be selfish enough to ignore that because other public heath measures do that.

        This is the reality of living in democratic societies where people have freedoms and can choose. The alternative of authoritarian control that sounds great when talking about vaccination gets really, really bad when you get to all the other negatives that come with authoritarian or central controlled communism.

        Please up the quality of your public discussion contributions because using pejorative “them and us” language is the language of fascism.

        Oh, and reconsider taking the vaccine if you havent had the jab.

    • Anonymous says:

      You think the 5 million dead people were all old or had co morbidities? You are right – 2 years of Covid has taught us who is at risk. Its the old and those with c0 morbidities for sure, and its the unvaccinated as well. Sure, the young and the healthy unvaccinated have far less risk from Covid, but they are at far greater risk than someone of equivalent age and health status that is vaccinated.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Nov. 5, 2021 — The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson dropped dramatically as the Delta variant swept the United States, a study of almost 800,000 veterans found.

    …the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine went from being 87% effective to 45% [ 🤦‍♂️]effective.
    https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19-vaccine/news/20211105/covid-vaccine-protection-drops-study

    *CNS: Old news. The drop in vaccine effectiveness was first noticed in Israel in July and has been reported on and studied extensively. This is why we have boosters, which brings the effectiveness back up to about 92%. Here’s the latest information from the Times of Israel – Pfizer booster shot could offer protection for 9-10 months

    • Anonymous says:

      CNS, the new news comes out of Provincetown MA, which basically confirms that the vaccine protection falls off sharply until you eventually catch the virus and it jumps up again. Or you can take a booster every six months. Your choice, same outcome.

      CNS: Possibly the same out come, or possibly you catch covid, get seriously ill and risk long covid or possibly die.

      • Anonymous says:

        Incorrect, 12:11. The potential outcomes and impacts go beyond your improvident declaration. Since you seem to be enlightened in your own mind about the outcomes, perhaps you can reconsider your poorly reasoned opinion. Or, you can yield and allow us to further school you. Which do you prefer? CNS has already schooled you on a very real alternative outcome. But it does not stop there.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Covid is little more than a pandemic of the uneducated. Cancer is the real elephant in the room in these parts.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Regardless of the circumstance, these families can’t even mourn in peace as everything has to become a debate around here!

  9. Concerned expat says:

    When the gentleman died premier was quick to say he was unvaccinated and seemed happy to say so, now some else has died and seem to be vaccinated and now they won’t make a “heart felt” get vaccinated video. Follow the truth not the science.

  10. Anonymous says:

    cig has never been truthful about what will happen.
    statistically cayman will have somewhere between 10 and 30 covid related deaths in the next 3-6 months.
    nothing can prevent that….except keeping unvaxxed and vunerable in complete isolation, which is unrealistic.
    no-one normally healthy under the age of 65 will die.
    trust in stats and science.

  11. Anonymous says:

    – rising cases –
    ‘Don’t worry we have a high vaccination rate’

    – rising hospitalizations –
    ‘Don’t worry our hospitals are prepared’

    – rising deaths –
    ‘Don’t worry those people were about to die anyway’

    At what point are we allowed to worry?
    My condolences to the families of those who passed.

    • Caymanian says:

      So it’s only 2.
      Now 12
      So it’s only 12 that’s like 0.0169%
      Now 100
      Now it’s only 0.14%

      Bars are always redrawn when negligence is high. Now they will stop reporting because they fully realise these numbers will increase and they cannot say how high but they are fully invested in moving forward without a proper plan.

    • Anonymous says:

      Another question ought to be when is government going to do something to slow the rising cases, rising hospitalizations and rising deaths. The government’s around the world that care about their people have brought in measures like vaccine passports to slow the spread.

    • Anonymous says:

      “It’s fear that makes us lose our conscience. It’s also what transforms us into cowards.”

    • Anonymous says:

      Don’t worry, be happy.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well, Cayman will go through all stages other countries went through. Only, unlike other countries who did it blindfolded, lots has changed March 2021. Therapeutics are available, early preventative treatments are known, and even lay people know that intubation must be avoided at all costs.

      But what do we see?
      * Still Not a word on treatments, instead, field hospital is being assembled. Old same, old same- wait, hospitalize, intubate, morgue.
      * there’s no outpatient facility for people to receive preventative treatments.

      You can order another lockdown, inject people with that 3d shot, test everyone to death, order never ending isolations, still, when you reopen again, and continue offering NO treatments, expect exactly the same scenario: wait-hospitalize-intubate-morgue.

  12. Anonymous says:

    if something bad happens to my family, I will come after each person responsible.

  13. Curious George says:

    Was this person vaccinated?didn’t noticed if he said she was

  14. Anonymous says:

    Ok, what if you are in a car accident and badly hurt but survive with life threatening injuries but die later testing positive for covid. Are we going to parse whether or not a person without the added stress of covid would have survived their injuries? Or do they have to die instantaneously in the wreck?

    This is idiotic. It should only be counted if it is the primary reason for death.

    • Anonymous says:

      Have you people only just started understanding how Covid deaths are recorded in countries like the uk? This isn’t new,

    • Caymanian says:

      Yes. It would all have to be considered. Like you said the person survived. But what if they injured they lungs in the accident but were living after but caught covid and died. That is a covid related death.

      I think you people only want to count like someone who is a marathon runner with no medical conditions dies with Covid.

      Generally this is not how Covid works. It can but mostly the person has something that is not 100% well and Covid accelerates it. This is why its termed Covid “related” death. It means Covid played some role, big or small, in the final outcome. Would they have died with Covid? Possible but Covid accelerated the timeline.

  15. Anonymous says:

    From what I’ve heard, the number of beds is misleading because there aren’t enough doctors to deal properly with everyone (regardless of number of beds) and that the ER doctors are being pushed past their limit. Anyone tried to interview the ER doctors?

    • Anonymous says:

      ER doctors and nurses, ICU doctors, nurses and technicians, Respiratory doctors and technicians…they all have different functions and expertise.

    • Anonymous says:

      ‘From what I have heard’ whilst I appreciate there is a communication void from the Government rumour and speculation be used to fill that void is unhelpful and dangerous.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Sad which ever way it is put, with or from Covid

  17. Anonymous says:

    Rather ominous that the CMO indicated that deaths will now be reported, or has become the norm, not reported, other than as part of the occasional stats dumps.

  18. Curious George says:

    How many cases does cayman have now? Or do i get the feeling they holding back?
    Just asking for a friend 🤷🏽‍♂️

  19. Anonymous says:

    Curious that Dr. John mentioned Bermuda. They have had 80+ Covid deaths in the recent past in a population of similar size with a vaccination rate a bit lower. Many of the people who have been dying in Bermuda were vaccinated and in contrast to Cayman, Bermuda took measures including a curfew to slow the spread. Is 80+ deaths what their ‘modeling’ is showing??

    • Anonymous says:

      My guess is yes. How much does that work out to per room night?

    • Anonymous says:

      To say that “many” of the deaths in Bermuda were vaccinated is misleading. Between when they started their vaccination program in January and November 4th, 86% of the deaths were in unvaccinated people. Their chief medical officer has said that the vaccinated people that died were seriously I’ll.

      I understand your point but I think you should still be clear.

  20. Anonymous says:

    I notice that there was no claim from government that this most recent death involved a person who was not fully vaccinated. That will make it harder, but not impossible, for the profit over people folks to blame the victim.

  21. Anonymous says:

    My condolences go to the family of the person that has died.

    Sadly the most recent two deaths are not likely to be the only deaths now that Covid has been allowed to spread without any effort to control that spread using the public health measures proven to be effective in other countries.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Very conveniently, this article left out the most important part for all you covid obsessors.

    “In both of these cases, the people had a lot of other medical problems and were very sick and, in both cases, it was not unexpected that they passed”.

    • Anonymous says:

      Would they still be alive without the complication of COVID ?
      Idiot !

      • Anonymous says:

        Probably not.

      • Anonymous says:

        The Chief Medical Officer answered that question for you. You just choose to ignore it, moron.

      • Rick says:

        Who said the deceased persons had “complications of COVID”? This comment is exactly why the environment created by fear of this virus is so toxic. Geniuses will always extrapolate and expand on what they do not understand. So will the dishonest, also.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Very sorry to learn that another person has died.

    Thank you Dr. Lee for confirming that Covid was a contributing factor in both of the recent tragic Covid deaths and for correcting the ridiculous myth spread by Covid deniers that if someone tests positive for Covid and then dies in a car accident or gets shot then their deaths would be recorded as Covid deaths.

  24. Anonymous says:

    RIP.

    “Dr Lee said that he hoped to see the positive numbers start to come down in the next few weeks.” If the cases only go downward after a surge, whynis UK and EU seeing a peak again?

    “Lateral flow test was really helping”…really? I heard of some piece constantly showing negative on rapid test and positive on PCR. Lateral flow test doesn’t show positive unless the viral load is high and by then people are already infectious.

    And now they say they won’t make separate death announcements – ok fine, but what is the Govt. doing towards prevention of the spread? Other than lateral flow kits, no measures absolutely, And is everyone required to so, even doing the lateral flow tests, and are they even reporting If positive without symptoms, and may be jut going around their daily routine.

    • Anonymous says:

      @5:55 – you ask what government is doing to prevent the spread.

      I’m addition to LFT’s, the government is providing vaccinations which have been proven to greatly minimize you having a serious case of COVID, government has also recommended wearing masks, mask wearing in government buildings is mandated, the government encourages practicing personal hygiene and staying away from large crowds.

      You can also go and get a free PCP test at the HSA or Doctor’s Hospital at any time you choose.

      I work for government and I have to take a LFT twice a week where I work or a PCR test once a week. We also have to wear masks in the office. And many are also allowed to work remotely.

      You also have to take personal responsibility for yourself and your family.

      It is heartbreaking that two of our own Caymanians have passed away, both had underlying conditions and also contracted COVID. But this is not a reason to panic.

      Take precautions, take care of your family, friends and neighbours.

      Dispose of masks and LFT’s properly, not throwing them away on the road, or just drop them on the ground.

      At the end of the day the Government is here to provide the tools that we need to help protect ourselves. But we also have a big part to play in our own safety.

      So, get vaccinated if you are able, if you are immunocompromised PLEASE take every precaution to stay safe.

      At the end of the day, we are ALL in this together. Let’s use common sense, protect ourselves and each other.

      Please have empathy for people and practicing being kind instead of turning on each other.

  25. carla says:

    My heart goes out to the families. Sincere condolences.

    Is there any word on when we get another press conference? I thought they promised weekly, and now it’s been several weeks.

    Also, still no numbers…(as of ~6pm Tuesday).

  26. Anonymous says:

    We need to toughen the rules for the unvaccinated in the Cayman Islands ASAP.

    We have a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

    • watcher says:

      If you’re fully vaccinated, how can anyone be a threat to you?

    • Anonymous says:

      In an earlier post a poster was heaping praise on TCI’s courageous reopening. Just remember that those decisions come with a price: right at this time: TCI, 37 deaths; BVI, 23 deaths; Bermuda, 106 deaths.

      Can Cayman realistically expect to escape? If reopening is what we are clamoring for, let us “screw our courage to the sticking place” to quote Shakespeare. It just doesn’t add up that we are going to come through this unscathed without some serious prevention measures.

      And may I suggest we begin with the unvaccinated?

      • Anonymous says:

        You forgot that TCI opened 9 months before vaccination took affect…SO yes TCI did a great job.

    • Anonymous says:

      Who cares just let it spread for a other month and they’ll all get natural immunity. Calm down.

    • Anonymous says:

      The vast majority of unvaccinated are children who are ineligible. My gosh can we ease up with the hysteria just a bit. Take thw necessary precautions and stay safe

    • Anonymous says:

      Of course we should. Dr Lee mentions Bermuda getting their cases under control but Bermuda also implemented restrictions such as vaccine passports.

    • Anonymous says:

      We need to fill up the Max-8s with them and send them to Austria.

    • Anonymous says:

      If are vaccinated then what are you worried about? Go hide in a closet!

  27. Anonymous says:

    This reminds me of the AIDS death count, currently at 35 million since 1981.

    But not one died of AIDS directly, they died of other infections, as AIDS attacks the immune system.

    The Government seems to be using the same method to prove no one in Cayman will die of COVID.

  28. Anonymous says:

    If this person wouldn’t have died had she or he not been infected, how can covid not be the cause of death? They not to come clean and stop this BS.

  29. Anonymous says:

    I feel it is fair to say that this government is getting blood on their hands.
    Would these people still be alive if it wasn’t for letting the virus willingly back on the island, by reducing the quarantine time to 5 days ?

    .

    • Anonymous says:

      It has nothing to do with the reduction of quarantine. All to do with people breaking quarantine, &/or arriving illegally on boats.

    • Anonymous says:

      No because covid didn’t come from tourists it started in North side.

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh please stop. What a stupid statement, these deaths are not he governments fault. Covid will be here in ten years, sadly some of the very vulnerable and some healthy unvaccinated will die. It’s unavoidable, you can’t ever stop community spread and it’s not government policy that contributed to these deaths, Cayman has no right to be an exception to the rest of the world. Get vaccinated and do your part to help stop spread. The border reopening won’t have any impact on the cayman death count. The only thing the government can and should do is mandate vaccines for caymanians in front line jobs and restrict unvaccinated from social settings.

      • Caymanian says:

        Actually they are contributing to the deaths. Maybe not these two but others going forward. And I call BS on your “you can’t control covid”. You can.

        If you fling the doors wide open while having and out of control community transmission that is careless at its max.

        The problem with you baffoons is you crave money so damn much life means nothing to you.

        Fight the community transmission. Test like PPM did and rid the Island of transmissions.

        After that carefully integrate LFT before and after flights to inbound travelers.

        Open correctly not haphazardly OR blood will be on their hands. They already allowed this to get out of control.

    • Anonymous says:

      More likely the unvaccinated census workers.

  30. Anonymous says:

    Ah, so now we get more details. It is confirmed that although these two poor souls were sick, having covid DID contribute to their deaths and will be on their death certificates. I suspect when a body is already under stress, having covid on top will only make their underlying conditions worse, make it harder for the body to deal with them, and ultimately lead to death.
    How sad that these people may have lived longer and enjoyed more time with their families if it were not for covid. Their families must be devastated. What a horrible way to go.
    The loss of a loved one is always terrible, but to have their death possibly brought forward by a preventable disease, carelessly let loose into our community when it need not have been, is an utter tragedy.

  31. Anonymous says:

    If a man has COVID, collaspes due to lung damage, breaks wrist on fall.

    He is rushed to hospital and passes away.

    Government will just claim another death, non covid related as he was admitted with a broken wrist and organ failure was due to that not covid.

    So far 4 Covid deaths, 100% non-covid related.

    if we unfortunately hit 50 deaths of people with COVID, government will claim they are all not related to COVID

    Otherwise they will just look bad

    • Anonymous says:

      The “remain calm” and “we are changing the way we report” to deflect as we are full steam ahead to our planned November 20 Phase 4 celebration! Profits over people!!!!

      • Anonymous says:

        U do realise the tourists are taking the risk coming to the most infectious place on the planet??

        We are luck anyone from Cayman are not banned from entering the USA, Canada or UK!

  32. Anonymous says:

    The most sincere condolences to this woman’s family and all who mourn her loss.

  33. Anonymous says:

    “broad adherence to prevention protocols” – how about a broad adherence to enforcement protocols? We’ve had a handful of cases prosecuted regarding breaches of quarantine, and we’re worried about prevention? Mitigation is now the active, logical action to focus on. Prosecute the offenders for breaking inarguable breaches, and provide better education seminars/flyers/posters for getting vaccinated, and protecting yourself. More people will die of COVID, this is a simple and unfortunate fact that for some reason seems to be newsworthy.

  34. Anonymous says:

    There are 20 locations in Florida that administer Monoclonal antibody treatments. Treatment is free and vaccination status does not matter. There is currently a standing order in Florida signed by the State Surgeon General that allows patients to receive this treatment without a prescription or referral if administered by an eligible health care provider.

    They should be administered as soon as possible after diagnosis.

    In clinical trials, monoclonal antibody treatment showed a 70% reduction in hospitalization and death.
    For high-risk patients who have been exposed to someone with COVID19, Regeneron can give you temporary immunity to decrease your odds of catching the infection by over 80%.

    • Anonymous says:

      There is an easier solution than using expensive monoclonal antibody treatments, just get vaccinated.

      • Anonymous says:

        Nobody will force you to take monoclonal antibodies if you get sick from covid and you can. Why are you chirping about it? smh..

    • Caymanian says:

      You confuse me ao much. My headache is having a headache.

      So antibodies thing is 80% and thats better how than the 95% vaccines?

      Sorry I thought I was decent at maths but obviously I was wrong. Was higher % not better?

      I hear around the corner you can get the ivermectin and bleach shot combo too and if you really want to make sure you kill it (and you) try the “light on the Inside” program. I hear the doctors got their PHD at Trump University. And try the Trump Steaks, I hear they are to die for.

    • Anonymous says:

      I know many that got the treatment you mentioned and it was stunning what the effect was. They were basically well in a few days but felt better in just an hour. I have friend that waited to get the treatment and while they felt better for 3 days then illness came back on them, but not as severe. So, timing is the key – get it early.

  35. Anonymous says:

    OK! Let’s start the “died from Covid” vs. “died with Covid” debate yet again so that we can try to diminish the fact that someone has died after they contracted Covid.

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