Student hospitalized from isolation hotel
(CNS): A local student who recently returned from overseas and was using the government’s isolation hotel was taken to hospital Friday evening, but government officials have refused to say whether or not the patient is suspected of having coronavirus. CNS asked for clarity on the issue and was told that Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee would only confirm that the “student is under investigation for a viral illness”.
In a press release issued Saturday there was no indication whether or not the student was suspected of having COVID-19, despite the widespread community concerns about the current pandemic. Cayman’s very low testing rate means we still don’t know the current level of community infection resulting from local contact with tourists before the lockdown began in earnest.
There is, however, a clear threat from returning residents, including the students in isolation and others who have recently returned home to Cayman from overseas. But officials would only say this student was transferred to hospital “for assessment” and remains there in isolation. They have not said whether the patient will be tested for COVID-19.
Nevertheless, officials said that public health protocols were adhered to when the student was moved from the isolation facility to the hospital in George Town.
“All medical staff and vehicles in contact with the student have taken necessary precautions to prevent onward transmission of any infectious condition. Appropriate contact tracing will take place in any case deemed necessary by Public Health,” officials said.
All returning residents have been asked to self-isolate and alert Public Health immediately if they develop any symptoms consistent with COVID-19. The students at the isolation facility were also screened before leaving the airport and are in regular contact with medical professionals while they remain in isolation.
Dr Lee said he was sure that the protocols in place are robust.
“This situation reminds us exactly why these isolation facilities are a necessary step in our efforts to protect the public,” he said. “We are trying to keep all persons, especially the vulnerable, safe by limiting their exposure to any arriving passenger from a high risk area. I would like to wish the student all the best for recovery,” Dr Lee said as he avoided any mention of COVID-19
Meanwhile, Health Services Authority (HSA) CEO Lizzette Yearwood thanked the parents and students in isolation for their compliance with the now mandatory requirements.
“I would like to reassure you that all measures are in place to care for your family members at this difficult time,” she said. “Any calls from them are taken seriously; we will triage and care for them as the need arises,” she added.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
Stay at home orders now!!!
Stay home numb nut
Stay home, don’t come in close contact with people or animals.
What kind of stupidness are you trying to spread? No contact with animals? Animals cannot contract or spread this virus since it made the jump to humans!
Flights should have been stopped a week earlier I always said that. Too little too late. Allowing the last few thousand to fly in and infect us all. Kmt
I am still hearing “leaders” in the community saying “this is hype”, “this isn’t that bad” , “it’s just the flu”, “calm down” etc. They sound like Donald Trump 😱😱😱 Anyone else here dealing with this level of
Ignorance ???
Are you still listening to reports from last week? I haven’t heard a single leader in over a week say any of those things. Please be quiet while the big people are talking.
Were the students checked, by those properly qualified to so do, for obvious indicators such as fever and cough, BEFORE they boarded the planes (in London Heathrow, MIA etc.)?
If so, we should be told whether any did exhibit these symptoms…and of course, those who were on the plane travelling with them.
It appears that the isolation treatment in the hotels may have worked in this instance…Others, especially those who travelled with the student on a plane or on the bus from the airport to the hotel, may justifiably feel some concern. Here’s hoping that “all’s well that ends…..”.
Came from London on Sunday. No checks. Agree with you better to test before boarding plan than arriving as there is no social distancing in economy !!!
Well if he is positive everyone on that plane that disembarked here and everyone they have been in contact with needs to be isolated as well and tested.
Is it a secret which hotel these kids are at or something? The first time Alden was asked about this he didn’t name the hotels, he wasn’t pressed on it, and I still haven’t seen them named anywhere. Which blasted hotel is it?!
@4:48pm – what business of yours is it which hotels the students are staying? Absolutely none. Mind your own damn business.
There must be a nicer way to say that.
Not if you’re hard-headed like some people.
There may be a nicer way, but it wouldn’t have been a better way.
Many of my daughters classmates are amongst these returning students. As a parent I understand the desire to bring them home. But as a health care professional I also know the risk. We decided to rent an apartment for our child where she was, rather than risk her exposure on the flight home. The Illinois study suggests extended exposure is significant for transmission of the virus.
I don’t think it’s helpful to advertise your privilege at this time…
But happy for your daughter to be so lucky
Actually it was a major financial hardship to do this. I had to borrow money from family. But whatever,.
I’m sure most locals know anyway.
I used to study in the UK so if this had been 10 years ago I would be in the hotel. Hence I’m curious.
WRONG!
What?! Surely this the drink speaking?!
And it should be our business. Not asking for a patient’s medical record, but knowing where these facilities are setup can help us protect ourselves. I thought we were all in this together, doing whatever it takes to contain and stop the spreading of this virus.
@4:48pm – perhaps you should think and a little attitude change would help as well.
Stay safe and healthy!
Protect yourself and STAYHOME! What are you going to go to these hotels?!
In case you accidentally happen to wander into the wrong hotel?? Lmao nice try
That you R Kelly?
They are releasing results of tests. It is highly probable this student has been tested. Results will be released here:
http://www.exploregov.ky/coronavirus
We should know if it is COVID-19 or not.
If it is not, then we should know that without disclosing the students medical information or identity but not telling the public undermines the trust Dr. Lee had begun to build with the public.
The testing takes time, they probably don’t know yet. Calm down.
What you should know is that this outbreak occurred from NOVEMBER 2019 yet we here in Cayman, like other countries in the world only recognized the seriousness recently. Loads of people have traveled in and out of the islands since then, and we’ve accepted in thousands of tourist until now. Which means we have been exposed to this threat for some time now. And most people would be Asymptomatic. Google that and in the meanwhile chill out and educate yourself before trying to evoke unnecessary hysteria. Let the medical professionals handle this one.
Don’t be an idiot. It wasn’t fully diagnosed until December in China and took two months to get to Europe. Consider the accepted incubation period is between 2-3 weeks, that obviously equates to the risk being viable for the last month, maximum.
Now I’m not saying that our risk is negligent, it is clearly high due to our reliance on overseas tourists and locals travelling to infected areas. But that’s a world away from saying that we have been exposed for many weeks or months.
It’s not a case of IF it’s here, it’s a matter of when it breaks out into the general population.
The only way to slow or stop infection is to remain at home and use acceptable sanitary practices. It’s much easier to handle this crisis now and invoke enforced isolation for all. If this breaks out and we’ve been sitting and waiting, this will end very badly indeed.
Work back!
It was around in November 2019. Confirmed in December!
It was in other countries and confirmed there by January!
I flew into Cayman beginning of February and no one in the USA, Cayman or Islands was thinking about this!
How many people have come and gone that may have had it and now you are concerned?
No doubt it has been to the island already.
Work back yourself. It matters not too Cayman when it was found, diagnosed or transmitted from China. The fact remains that if it hasn’t broken into the population, and we haven’t seen local infection rates climb, yet, it obviously points to a lesser amount of exposure time.
So regardless of hindsight, the fact that the US and Canada only started diagnosing cases two weeks ago would lead us to believe that it’s only been an issue on this side of the Atlantic for approximately a month when incubation times are taken into account.
We are ahead of other countries, in that we have seen how quickly this virus spreads amongst an ill prepared population. We have seen what happens if you sit and wait, we absolutely should be under a mandatory lock down now. It’s too late when the first cases emerge from within, we must isolate now.
I was in NYC when the first case was diagnosed in a returning lawyer from New Rochelle. That was in early March, not February, which probably meant that it was in he population but undiagnosed in late February or early March if you take the recent increase into account. Keeping in mind the incubation period, ground zero was the first or second week of March for the US.
It simply wasn’t there in January, so stop the scare stories and conspiracy theories.
It’s already here, lock down now before it breaks out!!!
Again Work Back.
First case in the USA was January 30th and the person flew in with it on the 24th.
How do you know that 1 of the 300 people that went to the flu clinic here last month did not have it. If they had not traveled off Island and didn’t not meet the WHO for testing no one knows. And good one ground Zero was the first or second week of March Lol! Did you not pay attention!
Anyone that was on the other side of the globe during Xmas saw this coming this way.
First they need do some lab tests which it takes up to 48 hours but results from overseas takes 6 days. Dr lee cannot tell what it is at the moment! Keep calm and relax!
Agree that we should get reassurance whether the student was tested and the reasons. They have already stated it is under investigation. As for results, we will get the totals. Honestly what would we do with information of whether the student is positive, remove other students from the hotel and how would that help?
Well anyone who was in the plane would know that their chances of infection were higher. Anyone with a family member of man the plane likewise – may mean that they take isolation more seriously and are more alert to symptoms.
Every one on the plane should have gone into isolation as per Government Policy. All incoming passengers were told to self isolate for 14 days . These instructions were given to reduce the risk of community cross infection due the possibility that some persons on the plane could be infected. Hopefully everyone on the plane followed the instructions.
We must keep the identity safe if any new cases are reported. I can only imagine what some of these people would do to them. That being said, I hope the plane this person came on is followed closely with all on it.
Who the F wants to downvote this? Heartless hopeless fools.
We cannot properly contact trace if we do not know who the high risk contact is.
Oh shut up. The AUTHORITIES will know and they will handle it. We don’t need the public involved in medical records.
Like the Honduran guy perhaps?
What part of “there is a shortage of tests and the guidelines are out of date” is yet to register?
What the crap are you talking about? Patient privacy is what this thread is about. Hope you don’t get it and everyone brings pitchforks to your home.
We can only know if it’s COVID-19 when the testing is completed. Not before!