The Cayman Islands has recorded an additional four confirmed cases of COVID-19 taking the total to 12, with one additional sample still inconclusive.
The update was given by Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee during Sunday’s daily Government press briefing.
He said of 12 confirmed cases, notably they were between the ages of 21 and 83, pointing to the growing pattern that the virus was not limited to the persons in the upper age brackets.
Five of the confirmed samples are males and the other seven females. Four of them have had long term health conditions.
All but one of the cases was traced to persons classified as travellers.
To date, 194 cases have been confirmed negative out of 207 tests carried out.
Several persons remain under medical observation after showing or reporting flu-like symptoms consistent with COVID-19, in addition to those who have self-isolated having returned to the territory recently or in keeping with other preventive protocols.
Hon. Premier Alden McLaughlin emphasised that with these results, maintaining social distance had become even more important in suppressing the chances of the virus spreading in the community.
The measures to mitigate the spread of the virus in the community remain in force with the possibility of being intensified again, if the regulations are not followed.
His Excellency, the Governor, Martyn Roper announced that more UK-funded testing kits are expected to arrive in Cayman this week as part of supplies for the Overseas Territories from Public Health England.
The Hon. Minister of Health Dwayne Seymour in detailing the COVID-19 Action Plan of the Health Services Authority, disclosed that huge orders of COV-19-related medical supplies to supplement existing stock have arranged by the HSA and shipment is awaited.
SUPERMARKETS
Given the experience of Saturday where huge crowds descended on the supermarkets, a new system will come into effect from Monday.
This system based on family surname will be assigned in alphabetical order.
It’s intended to reduce the element of large numbers of people assembling at the entrance to supermarkets and exposing each other to the risk of COVID-19 contamination.
Premier McLaughlin explained that persons whose surnames begin with the letters A to K will be allowed into the supermarkets on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays. Those with surnames L to Z have been assigned Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Only one person per household will be allowed into the supermarkets on their allocated days.
The Hon. Minister for Health Dwayne Seymour has suggested that this method could also be adopted by the banks.
Mr McLaughlin has advised the public not to treat the new week as a normal work week and to follow the restrictions which have been put in place.
He urges that people follow the Shelter-In-Place and Stay Home Cayman schemes.
Police Commissioner Derek Byrne reported that police monitoring of the overnight 7pm to 5am hard curfew and the daytime 5am to 7pm soft curfew will continue.
He said land, sea and air patrols are in full operation, and warned persons who have been caught out on the roads without any legitimate reason, or at the beaches, to desist from such practices and strictly observe the regulations.
There have been several instances of traffic stops, warnings and arrests of violators.
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