The Cayman Islands has today confirmed its first case of COVID-19 in the community as reported by Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee. The individual is said to be asymptomatic and had no relevant travel history.
Dr. Lee further reported that the case appears to be a past COVID-19 infection and that the test picked up inactive viral particles. This new case will be recorded as a community positive.
In his daily COVID-19 report, Dr. Lee states that, “Over the weekend, someone was found to have detectable SARS-CoV-2 viral particles as part of the routine screening programme,” He further reported that “immediate contact tracing and isolation was instituted around this asymptomatic positive case and a number of swabs for close contacts were taken. Fourteen swabs of these close contacts have proven to be negative for the virus causing COVID-19 disease and the investigation is ongoing.”
The CMO stated further that, “There is no relevant travel history and it appears that this case is a past infection which is still lingering in this person’s body. The very sensitive PCR test has picked up inactive viral particles – however, the test will be reported as a community positive to PAHO/WHO.”
This new positive will not change the Caymanian Government health measure response plans, reported Dr. Lee.
The accumulated total of positive cases now stands at 210 with 205 persons recovered. Public health has carried out 37,810 tests for the coronavirus. There are 232 people in government facilities or in supervised home isolation, including 29 persons that are testing the new geofencing technology in the Cayman.
