The Chief Medical Officer, Dr. John Lee, reports that 490 COVID-19 tests have been carried out since this was last reported on Tuesday, 12 January 2021. Five were positive.

The individuals are asymptomatic travellers who tested positive following routine screening. They will remain in isolation until considered recovered.

A sample was reported positive for SARS-CoV-2 yesterday at the Doctors Hospital at the limits of detection (i.e. with a very weakly positive result). The result was taken from someone in the community who was being screened as part of the ongoing programme.  This person and all in the household are asymptomatic. This person and members of the household travelled from the United Kingdom some weeks ago, and went through the normal quarantine and screening process with no problems. 

Further samples have been taken from the individual and the household today which have returned negative results. It is likely that the positive test is a false positive, which can occur as a result of cross reactions with other viruses or genetic material and usually present results near the limits of detection. In the interests of caution, the household will be isolated and monitored by Public Health, with further testing over the next few days. No further action is required of the Public unless you have been contacted by Public Health.

The number of people in isolation, either at a government facility or in their homes, as required by the Medical Officer of Health, is 1,187.

A further 406 people have received the COVID-19 vaccine since this was last reported on Tuesday, 12 January 2021, including 355 in Grand Cayman and 51 in Little Cayman. This brings the total number of people vaccinated in the Cayman Islands to 3,525.