Active COVID tally at 29 with three more cases
(CNS): Another three travellers have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee’s daily report. The three latest cases were in a batch of 227 tests carried out over the last day and bring the active case load to 29. Four people in that group are showing symptoms of the virus but none of them have been admitted to hospital.
All 29 people are quarantining in either a government facility or home isolation using an iMsafe wrist band, along with another 956 people who have not yet completed their 14-day isolation period.
Cayman has now recorded a total of 285 cases of the coronavirus since testing began in March and has carried out 53,350 tests.
While Cayman remains in the enviable position of not recording any community transmission since the summer, worldwide cases reached more than 64 million cases this week.
The United States has now seen more than 14 million cases. So far this year 276,452 people with COVID-19 have died in the US, and over 10,000 coronavirus deaths were recorded just last week. Meanwhile, the UK has recorded more than 1.6 million infections and over 59,000 people have died.
Against this backdrop, public health professional continue to warn of further spikes and surges, especially in the northern hemisphere where colder weather is driving people indoors. There are also fears that the holiday season will lead to more social gatherings and people letting their guard down.
Category: Health, Medical Health
It seems to me that the best business opportunity for people behind the ‘Infect Cayman Campaign’ is to give up trying to convince Caymanians that the disaster in Bermuda is what Cayman should do and instead just see if they can get commissions for sending risk seeking people to Bermuda.
Who says Bermuda is a disaster? Certainly not the Center For Disease Control.
Wouldn’t be the first time the CDC posted incorrect information
If Trumpster politicians stopped interfering with CDC information the information would be correct. Politicians have made life hell for medical / health professionals trying to get out constructive health information in America.
I feel very sorry for the people in Bermuda now that they have the coronavirus spreading there again and everybody is afraid to go out and people need to have masks on all the time. They already have had quite a few deaths since this all started and it seems that they are back where we were in May only worse. Thank you Cayman government for doing things right.
Don’t think it’s worse at all!
You think 9 dead in Bermuda is a better result than the 2 poor souls who died in Cayman?
The key point is Bermuda has less COVID cases and an open economy unlike Cayman.
No the point is Bermuda has an inadequate border bio-security protocol which has resulted in community spread, a return to partial lockdown with everyone wearing masks in all public spaces and school closures. BTW they also have hotels now closing as not that many people were interested in coming to Bermuda to get Covid.
Taiwan is a much better example of a play to copy rather than Bermuda. Taiwan which has a population of over 20 million has had no local transmission in more than 200 days. Bermuda has active local transmission and a semi-shutdown at the moment because of local transmission. Apart from greed, who would recommend that we copy Bermuda?
Barbados is an even better example to look at. A major success story in the Caribbean with its open economy and less cases than Cayman.
But many more than Taiwan
Not true. Taiwan has of today, 685 COVID cases. Nearly 3 times more cases than Barbados.
Not good on statistics are you. Taiwan has more than 20 million people (Barbados less than 300,000), thousands of people arriving each week in Taiwan (couple hundred in Barbados), Taiwan has tight 14 day+ quarantine rules that are more stringent than ours and no local transmission. Barbadow – not even close to Taiwan’s level of success.
I keep reading on here the propaganda from the rich developers/hotel owners saying that Cayman should copy because Bermuda has less Covid than Cayman.
That is total rubbish designed to sway the feeble minded. Here is the reality according to the Bermuda government, and keep in mind we all of our Covid cases are imported on the flights coming in, we have far more arrivals than Bermuda, and we have no community spread whereas Bermuda does.
COVID-19 Press Release – Dec 2 2020
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020
Good Day Members of the Media,
There were 498 test results received by the Ministry of Health yesterday (1 December 2020), and five were positive for COVID-19.
Two of the new cases (both asymptomatic) are classified as imported with details as follows:
1 resident who arrived on AA 308 from Miami on 30 November 2020 and tested positive on their arrival test, having had a negative pre-arrival test
1 resident who arrived on DL 584 from Atlanta on 30 November 2020 and tested positive on their arrival test, having had a negative pre-arrival test
Two of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact with details as follows:
1 symptomatic resident who was under quarantine as a close contact (workplace) of a known case and
1 symptomatic non-resident household contact
One of the new cases is classified as under investigation with no identified links to travel or other known cases or clusters. This individual is symptomatic.
Bermuda now has:
· there are 43 active cases, [Cayman has 29] of which
· 42 are under public health monitoring, and
· One is hospitalized. None are in critical care;
· a total of 215 have recovered, and
· the total deceased remains 9.
If you want more dead just listen to the people who say we should copy Bermuda.
4:55, You conveniently leave out 2 major facts:
1) Cayman has had more COVID cases than Bermuda.
2) Bermuda has been open since July 1. People are not suffering there economically like they are here.
Cayman’s cases are imported as a result of the thousands of people flying in from heavily infected areas. Bermuda’s recent cases are community spread due to failed border bio-security. Big difference. I agree with 4:55
I know that those trying to ensure that Caymanians get Covid will not like this but people might want to read the truth about the deteriorating situation in Bermuda. As of today they are back in semi-lock down wearing masks in all public places including work environments to try to contain the community spread that is happening in Bermuda. They will likely need to do more. Anyone who actually wants information rather than desires disaster for Cayman is able to read the truth on the Bermuda government website:
” The Minister of Health the Hon. Kim Wilson JP MP said: “As I stated in my press conference remarks last night, health regulations have been amended to introduce fines for persons not wearing a mask in accordance with the law.
A person who now fails to wear a mask when one is required commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to:
a)a fine of $500, in respect of a first offence
b)a fine of $1,000, for a second or subsequent offence.
“If anyone is confused regarding when to wear a mask, please visit coronavirus.gov.bm and read the guidance regarding mask-wearing. To be clear, if physical distance of 6ft (2 meters) cannot be maintained from others you must wear a mask. Unless:
o You are at home;
o You are with members of your household;
o While eating or drinking;
o Doing high exertion exercise (see gym guidance); or
o A child under the age of 2 (see guidance).
This mask requirement includes, but is not limited to:
Workers at all workplace premises – in accordance with workplace guidance
Passengers onboard public transport or in taxis must wear masks
Any person visiting any establishment (indoor or outdoor) (e.g. grocery store, shop, bank, office, etc) unless otherwise allowed by specific guidance (e.g. dining, gyms).
In public places (streets or parks) when other persons are present and 6 feet distance cannot be maintained.”
https://www.gov.bm/articles/covid-19-press-release-dec-2-2020
Why are we allowing tourists in? Basically the jet ski woman was a tourist. I know of another in govt facility right now. Why are they allowed in?
For the people who do not understand the numbers, approximately 1% of arrivals from the UK and US have the Covid virus when they arrive. Cayman has far more air arrivals than Bermuda. Because Cayman does not require pre-departure airport testing Cayman detects more cases of Covid after arrival than Bermuda. Bermuda almost makes up the difference with local transmission at the moment but if things keep going the way they are Bermuda will soon have many times as many Covid cases and another complete shut down as a result of their lax after arrival isolation and testing programme. I will never understand those people who demand that Caymanians should be infected.
They just said a shut down in Bermuda is extremely unlikely. Time to burst the bubble!
Not true. As of last evening Bermuda went to a semi-lock down with masks now being required in all public places including work places. Stop fabricating nonsense.
Masks have been required in public places in Bermuda since July when they opened up. Also at work places. Their economy is still open and the economy is still above water unlike Cayman.
Wow …have been using masks there all the time.
There is no lock down there.
Stop your fake BS!
Suggest you Google Ber News and see for yourself. A simple Google will confirm what 7:33 just said above. There has been mask wearing since July 1 and there is no lock down. Though they are fining people now who are not wearing masks in public places.
Do these numbers include jet ski woman and her boyfriend and the people she may have infected including the baby she was allegedly handling?
So that jetski woman .. when will we know if she has infected people on island, and are those people in isolation? Should we be wearing masks until she is out of quarantine, and when will that be?? Who was she quarantining with, and are they in isolation with her?
Okay since the issue of pre-flight testing keeps coming up, let’s face some realities. I agree it would be ideal if everyone could be tested and have a result within a short window before flying here. It is simply not feasible because many (if not all) of the jurisdictions that people are coming from cannot reliably provide results even within 72 hours of a test – it would be great if they could, but they can’t for a variety of reasons. Once you test further in advance than a few days, the test results become considerably less meaningful so as to be pointless.
If you want to reduce case numbers (and since all positive cases are in isolation I’m not clear why this is so critical to some, but never mind) you need to reduce the number of people coming in. That horse does seem to be, however, pretty much out of the barn as many residents bring in parents, siblings, girlfriends and so on every single flight…TravelCayman also seems to be making some odd decisions about permitting visitors for relatively short periods, and apparently allowing returning students to quarantine together in large numbers, which seems like asking for a breach of quarantine.
As to quarantine, the vast majority of those in isolation are fully compliant. Taking a hard line with the handful that haven’t been so far will go a long way towards dissuading others. If you restrict quarantine to Government facilities then CIG had better also drastically reduce incoming passengers and give priority to Caymanians and other lawful residents, because frankly there isn’t a lot of space and it would be grossly unfair to make locals stand in line behind what are basically tourists with an island connection.
The most helpful thing frankly would be if CIG would publicly and clearly address some of these concerns and set out their plans. The silence has been deafening, and it is allowing widespread fear and misinformation to take hold.
Airport pre-departure airport testing is available at Heathrow for BA passengers. Close to half of people testing positive on arrival are coming via Heathrow and to get on the Cayman flight they walk right past the testing facilities as they board the plane. There is no excuse for allowing that.
Tampa also has pre-departure airport testing that would decrease Covid cases coming here but I recogise that the shopping in Tampa is not as good as Miami so moving Cayman Airways flights to Tampa is probably out of the question.
I think you need to face some facts –
” It is simply not feasible because many (if not all) of the jurisdictions that people are coming from cannot reliably provide results even within 72 hours of a test”
This statement is BS. Yesterday I booked a flight to leave the USA later today I then booked a PCR test and have the results now 18 hours later.
Last week I went from the USA to Canada for business ( Yes some of us can travel ) Again this time from a completely different state in the USA me and 3 other had tests and results in 18 hours this was easily done in Miami!.
Pre Testing is the way forward and the BS that you read on the media about not being able to get a test in the USA is not true BUT you must pay.
I have had over 15 tests in 4 months in the USA for travel and have had results in 36 hours every time!
That’s great for you (and I mean no sarcasm there – it is great) but it isn’t like that everywhere. Not everyone is in the US, and not everywhere in the US is able to offer this reliably. I am also speaking from personal experience.
Well Canada, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Panama, UK ALL have testing and results in 36 hours if your traveling.
Seems easy to me!
“It is simply not feasible because many (if not all) of the jurisdictions that people are coming from cannot reliably provide results even within 72 hours of a test – it would be great if they could, but they can’t for a variety of reasons.”
False! Utterly false! Multiple US airlines are offering testing with results in 15-30 minutes. Many destinations are accepting these tests in lieu of quarantine.
Not true. It is easy in nearly every major hub to get a RT PCR within 72 hours.
Those foolish selfish people who want us to follow Bermuda on the path to disaster should take a look at the statement of the Bermuda Premier yesterday. Bottom line is that their lax border controls have produced community spread and they are now looking at tightening their border controls to more closely emulate ours. An extract:
“There is no need to sugar coat where we are. Having gone weeks without a single confirmed case, and then experiencing sporadic cases, we now have clusters of cases – and seven cases that are still under investigation. This means that people have caught the virus although they, nor anyone in their immediate circle, has any immediate links to travel; they were exposed to someone who was infected here, on-island – and we have not been able to determine the source, as yet.”
https://www.gov.bm/articles/covid-19-update-%E2%80%93-premier%E2%80%99s-remarks-1-december-2020
If the situation is so bad in Bermuda why do they have so many fewer cases than the Cayman Islands? They have an open economy and tourist related businesses are not in the tank like here.
Simple they have far fewer air arrivals and we are detecting more cases after arrival and before they spread into our community.
Their cases are now mostly community spread resulting from their defective lax screening protocols.
Take a look at the Bermuda Airport plane arrivals. Are all those planes arriving every day flying in empty? Doubt it.
Our cases are travelers coming to Cayman. Not many are going to Bermuda, even with their borders open…those that did have now given their population Covid as there is community transmission.
Cayman is vastly better than that shit show over there. Hubert, if you like Bermuda, go there.
You might not like it 1:30 because it bursts your bubble, however, hotels in Bermuda are running at 61% capacity. What are our hotels running at?
Yeh Hubert, Bermuda has been open since July 1. I find this incredible.
and now they are back to semi-lock down with everyone having to wear masks in all public places including where people work. I know that there are a couple of rich hotel owners who probably say so what but the rest of us are happy that Cayman has handled things much better.
And with thousands visiting and a pat on the back from the WHO for setting a good example for safer travel.
Why do I feel better about the overall situation in Bermuda after reading the above statement from the Minister of Health than I do about the situation here?
Bermuda seems to have a much more pragmatic plan than we have.
11:05 Say it louder for the people in the back, PLEASE!
It is now actually mind boggling the airlines & CIG are allowing people to travel without passing a day-of-departure covid test. If they are arriving here & failing a test, they must be positive on the day of flying in. It is also likely that people know they may be infected the day they travel. Yet no effort to mitigate them flying in the first instance.
We are literally just importing COVID.
How many in hospital?
Zero deaths
Firstly, anyone coming to Cayman should be tested prior to boarding a flight. Secondly,CIG should only allow isolation in govt isolation facility. Thirdly, only allow the number to arrive based on the availability of space in a govt isolation facility. The increase of persons coming to Cayman and self isolating, lessens the capability of monitoring them. There are several vacant facilities which the govt could negotiate for isolation and many Caymanians who could be trained to monitor these facilities. The facilities could earn some income, the Caymanians could earn some income and the residence could continue to be safe from widespread of the corona virus. Its a win win.
due to home quarantine nonsense…it is only time until we get community outbreak.
thank you very much cig….
We have more COVID cases than Bermuda and Barbados and both those places are open and not in the economic tank.
Are you a sentient being? You do understand that every single one of our current cases came in on a plane and we have no community spread because of our restrictions?
Our economy is doing very much better than Bermuda’s. Tell us about their thriving real estate and development sectors will you? And how does that winter beach tourism thing work out in the North Atlantic?
How does that winter beach tourism work out in Grand Cayman? Please tell me. Been looking forward to 7MB since ….was it opening in August…no September….no November…..no January 2021….no…..when???
And, just an FYI- went swimming in the water on NY Day in Bermuda 2 years in a row in the late 90’s. Us northerner’s can handle it. It was sunny and about 75 degree day. Beat 10 degrees back home.
Best book your trip to Bermuda soon. They are about to shut down because of the Covid mess they got themselves into.
BS they are!
Heading there in two days!!
We are enjoying our beaches, 7mile included without you cockaroaches all over the place. So stuff it, get on the plane to Bermuda pal.
Got lots of friends in Cayman. 7MB is virtually empty. Got sent a few pictures the other day- sunny and not a soul on it except the person taking the picture. Lots of people struggling especially those who worked in any field related to tourism. The holidays and the future looks gloomy without the borders reopening.
Calling tourists cockroaches will not help.Looking at other plans where their borders are open, might.
You realize 7mile is vastly larger than the small section you were probably sent, right? Also, many people have work during the week and tend to enjoy their beach going on the weekends. I go to the beach frequently on my days off and there are always people there regardless of what district you are in.
5:29 keep looking then.
Not sure how you have determined our closed economy is doing better than Bermuda’s open economy?
12:42 Apparently you lack the intelligence to understand.
12:42, Who is really travelling to Bermuda? Hardly anyone, their tourism sector is not “thriving” because their borders are open. They will soon shut down anyway considering they have community spread. Hopefully their death toll does not increase from their greed
Just announced shut down extremely unlikely!
9.54pm He may be, but I’m sure he does not know what “sentient” means.
9:54, I don’t understand. Why do we have more cases here in Cayman? The Bermuda economy is open so how can our economy be better than the one in Bermuda? Please help a sentient being as you seem to have all the answers.
Huh?
Barbados and Bermuda remain in that “tank”.
That’s why they are open!
9:01 we don’t have community spread. Our cases are in isolation. Big difference.
But the community spread is controlled in Bermuda due to an excellent contact tracing program.
12:51 the community spread is contained…yeah…okay. Let’s all laugh together 😂😂😂
The number of positives turning could be, and should be reduced by requiring day of departure testing as a condition of boarding a flight to Cayman.
It also could be reduced if people stopped taking shopping and partying trips to Miami disguised as a trip to the dentist.
Or dentists stopped from taking partying trips here disguised as vacation property occupation.
And yet some of us insist on opening up?
Steer the course.
of course, just open the borders…
nobody wants to get covid (everyone is responsible for avoiding close contact and keep sanitizing) but nobody deserves to be in a prison!
safe bubble? cases will keep increasing.
lack of response from this government.
Our government has had its head in the sand since April. Not too long ago Red Bay School kids and parents were quarantined for two weeks and tested before release. Were any of the jet ski people tested? We know the girlfriend tested negative on landing. But according to our government she had to remain in quarantine for two weeks because the virus might show up. If government truly believe this, everyone the girlfriend came in contact with should be tested and isolated. Were they? If not why not? Where is the consistency?
Because it was too difficult? Because it would make the risk of the breach too painfully apparent? Because Dr Lee has other issues to concern him now? Who knows.
That individual has had Covid (apparently), so the chances of them getting it again and infecting anyone are on the extremes of getting hit by an asteroid. It does raise an interesting question of ‘what next?’ and how do we actually open the borders. Do we allow people in who have already had it and not quarantine, people who have had the vaccine, or just keep them shut for the next 2 years until it has died down to levels people are comfortable with. It’s never going away.
Great Point!
But we can’t get the simplest answers from CIG so don’t think this will be answered till 2025!
No one is in prison. You want out; catch the next flight to Miami and stay there drifter.
Not so easy if you are from here! What’s your plan for when and how we open up again? As far as I can see things will gradually get better, as a) more people will have had it b) the vaccine will cut infections and the contagion numbers, but, and it’s a big one, it’s not going to be eradicated, so when? 1 year, 2 years, or back to turtling?
4:15 so a paper Caymanian eh?
Nope, try again. You missed the important bit, when, and how?
Steer the course and completely bring down our economy. Enough is enough. ADAPT. CHANGE. Look at Bermuda and Barbados.