192 Positive COVID 19 Tests reported on Tuesday

At 8 a.m. on Tuesday, 23 November Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee reported that 1,382 PCR tests had been conducted since 8 a.m. on Monday, 22 November.

The Public Health Department reported 192 positive results from these tests. One of these positives was from travelers and 191 from the community.

These results brought the number of active cases of COVID-19 in the Cayman Islands to 4,045 as at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, 23 November. The total number of cases recorded since the start of the pandemic stood at 6,283 as at the same time.

There were 29 COVID-19 patients hospitalised in the Cayman Islands at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, 23 November.

Up to that point, 4,633 people in the Cayman Islands were in isolation either in Government isolation facilities or at home.

The Public Health department also confirmed that up to 8 a.m. on Tuesday, 23 November there had been 1,691 total positive lateral flow tests since the introduction of the lateral flow test programme in the Cayman Islands, which are included in the total positive numbers given above.

As of 8 a.m. on Tuesday, 23 November, Faith Hospital confirmed there were 22 active cases in the Sister Islands, with one COVID-positive individual identified in the previous 24 hours. To date, there had been 108 total cases recorded in the Sister Islands, with 86 having recovered. Out of the total number of cases in the Sister Islands, 56 were fully vaccinated, six were partially vaccinated, and 46 were unvaccinated.

Vaccination clinics were closed yesterday (Monday 22 November 2021).

(ENDS)

Editor’s Note

Below is a transcript of and link to a supplementary video by Chief Medical Officer, Dr John Lee, discussing the overnight increase in the number of hospitalisations.

Hello everyone.

Today some worrying news, as far as I am concerned.

Yesterday we had a total of 23 people admitted across the Islands, but today that number has climbed by six. And the issue that is really worrying me is that a lot of these people were older.

The admissions have been spread across the Health Services Authority at George Town Hospital and there are also six admissions at Health City. That gives a total of 29.

One of these people is ventilated, one of these people is requiring some respiratory assistance, in the form of a mask with some additional pressure support, and 13 are requiring additional oxygen.

A total of 86 percent of the admissions are unvaccinated.

You'll recall there's been a press release saying that there have been a number of cases picked up at the Pines, and one of the admissions yesterday was somebody from the Pines.

It gives me a pause for thought, and I wish from my side to remind you of how vulnerable the elderly can be, with regards to COVID, whether they be vaccinated or not vaccinated.

Not only of course the elderly, but also people with other additional diseases which puts them at greater risk.

In particular, with these groups of people, please remember to wear your masks, to avoid hugging them, avoid embracing them. Keep to your hand hygiene and of course keep to distancing when you can.

If you have access to lateral flow tests, it's also a good idea if you're going to do a visit to just check that you're negative before you make that journey to go and visit anybody that's vulnerable.

I've seen a lot of people with masks in the community, and I'm afraid to say also at work, who will remove their mask in order to speak to be heard clearer. That's absolutely not the right thing to do. Your mask needs to be on when you're speaking.

That's one of the at-risk times when you're more likely to disperse any virus, so keep your mask over your nose and mouth including when you're speaking and including when you're in meetings. These are all times when you are at greater risk when there are gatherings of people and you may cause a transmission event.