Cayman appears to have passed COVID peak
(CNS): Public Health officials have reported a downward trend in new COVID-19 cases, based on the figures in the situational report released last night reflecting the numbers as of Friday. This data suggests we have passed the infection peak, with just 979 officially reported cases last week, a drop of more than 700 from the previous week, though 2,000 fewer PCR tests were conducted. Officials also reported another death attributed to COVID but did not say when this patient died, explaining that “additional, retrospective information was gathered and verified against previously held records”. The overall tally is now 17.
Between 6 and 12 February, there was a decline in patients admitted to the two main hospitals, the Health Services Authority and Health City Cayman Islands, compared to the previous week. In total 21 people were in the hospital last week, four of whom were in intensive care on ventilators, compared to 26 the week before.
For the first time in four weeks, less than 1,000 positive tests for COVID-19 were registered during the seven-day period covered by the latest report, and the official daily case rate has fallen to 140. However, another 139 cases were reported on Monday, 14 February, suggesting the spread is still significant.
The government has failed to report detailed figures of active cases for more than one week, though this is the main impact on the business community.
With the requirement for people to lock down for at least seven days after a positive test still in place, many believe that the number of cases could be much higher than the official tally reflects. There is significant anecdotal evidence that the general public has become increasingly less compliant and is no longer reporting home test positives and instead managing their own isolation, if they are doing this at all.
However, it is evident that the Omicron variant, which remains the main cause of the current and continued widespread community transmission, is considerably less virulent than other strains. Those infected with this variant who are vaccinated and have no comorbidity concerns are suffering short-lived and very mild symptoms, if any.
The arrival of 2,000 paediatric vials today from the UK should also alleviate further concerns about the community spread. While vulnerable children have already had access to the vaccine, now all kids over five can be vaccinated. This will give some parents peace of mind but will also see government come under pressure to ease the social gathering restrictions, rescind mask mandates in schools and further reduce isolation and testing requirements.
Cayman’s vaccination rate is high, with 84% of the population having had at least one shot, as at the end of last week, and 93% of the over 12s having had two doses. But the booster programme remains sluggish, with only 35% of the eligible population having received a third dose.
With the ongoing pressures on Public Health regarding the testing regime, the Health Services Authority has extended the lateral flow test (LFT) online platform to the Sister Islands, allowing people across all three islands to book and pay for tests via the HSA website.
“The new online booking system provides a more streamlined approach to our COVID-19 testing service by creating greater efficiency in the registration process,” said Chief Nursing Officer Dr Hazel Brown.
LFT tests for travel, including travel to the Sister Islands, and other purposes are CI$25/US $30 per person, per test. Certified Lateral Flow testing is available at the COVID-19 clinic located at 131 Maclendon Drin Grand Cayman, the Aston Rutty Centre in Cayman Brac and the Little Cayman Clinic.
PCR tests to confirm a positive LFT for residents are still free of charge.
The government is hosting a live COVID-19 update on CIGTV at 2pm today.
See this week’s situation report in the CNS Library.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
Not to worry. The cruise shippers will ensure we have a fresh supply to keep it going, and who knows maybe introduce new variants for us!
The next wave will arrive with the cruise ships. Thanks Kenny!
The hospitals are not overrun with Omicron patients. Let our people free! If you don’t want to get vaccinated….fine. Don’t get vaccinated. There is no way way I can convince you that the vaccine is not the devils work, or a conspiracy from Roswell. But, do not punish me for your folly. Enough is enough. I am done.
We probably have ‘peaked’, because no one is reporting anymore.
I’ve also heard that there is a a great deal on oceanfront property in Arizona and the moon is actually made of cheese!
The Moon is actually made of pancakes!
6:15 on Thursday and the
https://www.exploregov.ky/coronavirus-statistics
website has not been updated. Worldmeters has the latest new cases, but still added them to the last active total, to proudly inform the planet we have 10,158 active cases.
We’re winning the viral Olympics.
Is there a trophy or medal involved?
Oh no!
In the Brac lots of idiots are in shops and restaurants WITHOUT face masks and NOT doing the 6ft apart safety thing.
Good for them! COVID is now nothing to worry about.
Thank you for your input, Dr. Bert, world renowned esteemed doctor of epidemiology. Shame the 900,000 plus Americans that have died from Covid didn’t know we had an expert here!
Died with covid, unless you are saying President Biden killed them?
No. The GQP did with politicizing the life saving vaccine.
People get so angry at the government over conspiracy theories and BS. I just can’t wrap my mind around why they are volunteering to get infected with the virus they themselves called a Chinese bioweapon. Why would they allow that to be done to them? So bizarre.
6.25 – a figure that lumps
In mainly deaths before we had vaccinations and effective treatments and those idiots today who turned down the vaccinations. For the sane nowadays this is now less dangerous than the flu.
As BA.2 subvariant of Omicron rises, lab studies point to signs of severity
https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/17/health/ba-2-covid-severity/index.html
CNN —
The BA.2 virus – a subvariant of the Omicron coronavirus variant – isn’t just spreading faster than its distant cousin, it may also cause more severe disease and appears capable of thwarting some of the key weapons we have against Covid-19, new research suggests.
“Syncytia” is the important word that few will care to understand. That is the super-factory characteristic that can lead to acute breathing issues, hospitalisations, and deaths. With BA.2 already established here, we are in the thick of it now, so far with much better experience than Denmark. Let’s hope we continue to get the lesser of the mixed bags.
If this were a STD pandemic many of you would be screaming condoms are oppressive.
Except condoms work.
Condoms and not masks should be mandated for some of our residents. Maybe stop them producing and abandoning the fruit of their loins.
The pandemic does not have an on/off button. This false dichotomy has damaged our ability to control spread. We know this virus better than any other virus in history. We have the tools to control this pandemic, but we may have to sustain a high level of vigilance with N95 masks and upgrades to building ventilation systems.
It would be nice if COVID could be made rare again. All it would take is the wider public voluntarily LFTing themselves twice a week for a couple weeks. We’d go from 15-20% community positivity to <1% in days with minimal cost, interruption, or effort. CITA should sponsor this. Then we could more confidently drop the masks and other fun-killers.
Good. I’m coming over. Fed up of the masks in GC.
We get it, you and many others here are emotionally just like children, but don’t have any mature adults to hold and comfort you and explain it’s not fair, but it’s not gonna be normal for a while.
How is wearing a mask something anyone enjoys? Or, more to the point, something that makes a person immature for not wanting to wear it? No one is allowed any opinions, can’t question anything and expected to follow rules that really won’t prevent spread of the Coronavirus.
Are we all tired of COVID – Yes
Will that make it go away – No
This is real life with real consequences and right now is not the time to let our guards down.
Please don’t. You guys are doing to the Brac what you gripe about in terms of what has happened on Grand. We don’t need you and, for the most part, don’t want you.
You’re happy enough to take GC’s cash at every opportunity though.
🤣 😂🤣🤣 Relax, you will survive.
Not just there. There are idiots aplenty everywhere.
That is not true. All stores in Brac have the mask mandate and everyone complies. Stop spreading lies and find something productive to do.
This is a joke! The numbers have reduced drastically because people are fed up with the ridiculous “system” (or lack thereof!) that this government and its Public Health Dept. are using. Many are no longer reporting symptoms or LFT positive results. The outrageous quarantine measures and unprofessionalism of HSA staff alone is craziness! Even trying to get a PCR result is like pulling teeth and comes with excuses such as, “The email address was wrong”. Really!? So who did you send my result to?! Dealing with all the madness is torturous for many folks and they are over it! Some are only discovered if they become sick enough to need medical treatment.
Thanks to the not testing not reporting sect of the Branch Covidians!
So says the LFT salesperson.
Many of the LFT test centers aren’t collecting samples properly. Barely grazing the nostril opening assures a negative outcome. Good news for those getting tested, I suppose, but not very reassuring for those counting on these unusual measures, whoever they are.
That’s because they know it’s a farce.
I don’t know, a Jamaican nurse in a local medical office practically gave me a frontal lobotomy last week for my day 7 test, tears to the eyes for sure.
That’s why it’s better to have a bottle in front of me than to have a frontal lobotomy.
CNS on the 16th you said “ There are eleven people currently in the hospital as a result of the virus, ten of whom are unvaccinated.”. Today it’s that there 21 last week. Do we even know the current number, because it’s way more important in determining the extent of the virus than the number of people volunteering themselves for PCR tests and getting isolated
CNS: Public Health is now giving weekly ‘situation reports’, so that number would be for the whole of last week, and they are also giving daily updates. which is the ‘now’ figure.
End the oppression measures immediately.
All today’s changes are aimed at tourists – which Bryan actually said! What about locals? Get rid of mandatory masks. PACT – do Something for those of us that actually live here!
A mask is very very scary. Do you need a hug or a nap?
Inferred community positivity rate was nearly 1 in 5 a week ago. Give them a second please. The masks are (still) to protect other people from your aerosols.
Crybabies like you have no idea what oppression is actually like in reality.