Out of 346 test results today, one was positive, a traveller who is asymptomatic.

·         All 207 swabs taken from people related to the Red Bay Primary School and NAU have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. This does not include the original swab taken from the child who returned a positive result previously.

·         Subsequent tests for SARS-CoV-2 for the child were negative, but coupled with someone displaying symptoms, the original positive result stands.

·         The total number in isolation are 411.

Grand Cayman (GIS) – At the COVID-19 press conference today, Saturday, 10 October 2020, Cayman Islands’ leaders announced that all 207 swabs were negative that were completed after a child, a Year 2 student of Red Bay Primary School, was found to be positive for COVID-19 disease.

With these reassuring results, there will be no change to existing protocols in the Cayman Islands’ continuing response to the threat of COVID-19.

As for ongoing PCR tests, there are 346 test results for today, of which one was positive in a returning traveller (asymptomatic). 

The patient admitted to the HSA is now requiring the support of a ventilator. 

The leaders expressed gratitude to the staff, parents, children of Red Bay Primary School as well as frontline staff engaged in active response.

            Prayer was led by Education Minister Hon. Juliana O’Connor Connolly.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. John Lee reported:

• Out of 346 test results today, one is positive, who is a traveller and is asymptomatic.
• The patient admitted at the Health Services Authority (HSA) is now requiring the support of a ventilator.
• There were four calls to the ‘flu hotline Friday, all of which were ‘flu related.
• A total of 411 are in quarantine, with 191 in government provided isolation and 220 isolating at home.
• A total of 207 swabs were taken at the Red Bay Primary School and at the NAU and all have tested negative. Lab staff worked after 4 am Saturday to complete the tests.
• HSA was also involved in testing of returning travellers at ORIA on Friday as well.
• The child tested weakly positive and negative in subsequent tests. Since the child displayed respiratory symptoms, the child is being deemed a positive COVID-19. The child’s father, mother and sibling tested negative, yet the father and sibling have displayed mild respiratory symptoms which could be from the common cold.
• Since there is an increase in common cold symptoms with the approach of winter, all are advised to self-isolate and contact the ‘flu hotline which operates 24/7 if seeing symptoms such as cold, coughs, runny noses, headache, body ache and fever.
• The positive test result in the child is not being viewed as false positive due to the consistent robustness and quality of all the lab results in the Cayman Islands.
• All Year 2 students, their teachers and close contacts including household members will isolate for a total of 14 days from last contact with this positive case and be retested after that.
• The drive-by tests today at the HSA have been restarted to provide additional testing capacity and were extended on Saturday due to increased demand. On Monday they will operate from 7 to 9.30 am.
• The risk for COVID in Cayman Islands is not zero, albeit the risk is low. Therefore, people should continue to be vigilant and frontline staff such as healthcare workers, care homes, airport and prison staff will continue to be tested.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin said:

• The news of all swabbed at Red Bay Primary and NAU testing negative is excellent news. The response since learning of the positive test since 10 am on Friday has been massive, swift and comprehensive which has demonstrated the system put in place works admirably. This is an incredible and laudable performance.
• While the Cayman Islands has indeed a robust system in place, the inherent risks from people coming into the Islands cannot and will not be treated lightly.
• The constant comment from the community is that the Island cannot revert to lockdowns. For this, all are urged to continue cooperating with protocols and adhere to social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing if they are dealing with elderly and vulnerable persons, or if they themselves feel sick.
• Thanks go to God and to the community for their awareness and cooperation.

His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper said:

• Today’s news is really reassuring. “It was a great test of our system on a wide scale and the system has performed extremely well. We’ve been in crisis mode since March because of COVID, and as a result, our crisis management systems have been tested and have become really good. We saw that this week with Storm Delta and with the way we responded.”
• There are three international lessons around the best response: 1) a robust system for testing, tracing and isolating with results within 24 hours; 2) contact tracing over 80% (we’re well above that) and 3) strong adherence to the rules around the 14-day isolation period. We are doing all of these and other additional measures, all which can give us confidence.
• A huge thank you to everyone who is working so hard to bring this about and particularly Public Health who have performed fantastically over the last few days. Thank you also to everyone in the community for their co-operation.

Education Minister Hon. Juliana O’Connor Connolly said:

• There are 54 students in Year 2 in Red Bay Primary School and six associated teachers, who all, as has been announced, tested negative.
• All procedures are being followed and they will all be out of school for their isolation which happily coincides with their mid-term break starting Thursday. So they will work from home from Monday and students are being provided laptops to continue their work seamlessly.
• Thanks go to all involved for their sterling response but particularly to the Education staff for their magnificent and efficient response.
• However, all have to maintain an element of responsibility and a bit of sacrifice on the part of those who have to isolate for the required period. All also need to follow protocols where necessary and be responsible for their health such as taking necessary medication, if prescribed, including vitamins. Persons should also follow handwashing, distancing and mask wearing guidelines whenever necessary. Response within the school system continues to be a tripartite relationship among students, parents and the school authorities, including teachers.
• Government’s response is robust, which is led by the Premier, who has taken this pandemic very seriously.

Health Minister Hon. Dwayne Seymour said:

• Given the circumstances with the child, it is clear all have to continue to be vigilant and not let their guard down. “It really does take the entire community working together to continue to have such successful outcomes.”
• “Even when a vaccine becomes available and is found to work, 1) we need to get it and 2) you need to be willing to take it.”
• The drive through testing at HSA today has a healthy turnout, and went smoothly. This testing will continue Monday morning from 7 am to 9.30 am. All need to bring a photo ID including for children to access the testing.
• For more from Minster Seymour, see sidebar below.

Sidebar: Minister Seymour Urges Not to Let Guard Down

We are with you again today for another press briefing to keep you updated but as you have heard with such good news; God’s grace has been shown to us once again. We do have a positive today in a traveller and we continue to pray for those that are positive and especially for the one COVID-19 patient in the hospital.

I want to once again publicly thank the Ministry of Education and Public Health for coming together to work efficiently, calmly and effectively to manage this situation. I would also like to thank the parents who were so willing to be tested and have their children tested and to isolate accordingly. It really does take the entire community working together to continue to have such successful outcomes.

I cannot reiterate this enough. Please continue to be vigilant, to practise good hygiene processes by washing your hands and wearing your masks where necessary. We still live in a COVID-19 world despite our good position here in Cayman. Please do not let our guard down and if you are feeling ill please take every precaution necessary and get tested.  

Also, today, we were very pleased to see such a healthy turn-out from members of the community to be tested at the drive-through testing facility at HSA this morning. The Public Health team has confirmed that the testing operations this morning all went smoothly.

On that note, I would like to advise the public that the drive-through testing facility will be open again on Monday morning from 7 am to 9.30 am. Please remember to bring along your ID including photo identification for any children being tested and to also wear your masks. No pre-registration is necessary.

Finally, I wish to end by thanking the Lab personnel at our Public Health department for their tremendous efforts since yesterday and overnight, indeed working into the wee hours of this morning, to get all of the necessary testing done. I thank you and our country thanks you for your swift action and hard work. May God continue to bless you in your labours.  

Let’s keep working together and all doing our part to keep Cayman safe.

God Bless.