UPDATE: Mar 9 2019 4:00PM

Further to our earlier press release, please be advised that the two people with medical emergencies have disembarked the Caribbean Princess and been transferred by ambulance. One of these passengers was in urgent need of critical medical attention. Since the individual’s condition was immediately life threatening, waiting for an air ambulance was not advised, and the patient has been transferred to Health City Cayman Islands for emergency treatment under isolation. This passenger is suffering from a gastrointestinal haemorrhage (internal bleeding)and severe hypotension (low blood pressure) and does not have any respiratory symptoms. The other person was taken directly to the Owen Roberts International Airport for travel to the USA by air ambulance.

GRAND CAYMAN (GIS) – The Ministry of Health, Public Health Department and the management of the Health Services Authority (HSA) are aware that reports are being received that the Caribbean Princess has been ordered to return to port in Miami by the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) in the USA due to concerns over two crew members who are physically well but may have been exposed to COVID-19.

 This ship has anchored in Grand Cayman in order to offload two people who are critically ill with issues that appear unrelated to the COVID-19 outbreak. These two passengers will be transported directly to the airport for medical evacuation to Florida. Some clinical samples will also be travelling with them. All appropriate measures are being undertaken to ensure the safety of staff involved, and the vehicles being deployed. Ambulance crews routinely manage patients who have infectious conditions and are aware of the required action.

Joseph Woods, Acting Port Director – Port Authority of the Cayman Islands added, “As we have informed the public previously, The Port Authority of the Cayman Islands (PACI), Customs and Border Control (CBC), Public Health, our respective Ministries, and the cruise lines all work in close collaboration with each other. Today, a situation arose with one of the cruise ships scheduled to call Grand Cayman and while there is no one on-board known to be suffering from the symptoms of the coronavirus. However, as they were unsure if someone on-board could have possibly been exposed to someone who did, out of an abundance of caution, and of their own volition, they decided to cancel the call. Their decision to cancel the call speaks to the integrity of the cruise lines that call here and the respect and value they place on their relationship with the Cayman Islands.  That close relationship and respect between us pays off in circumstances like this when they would rather cancel a call than take a chance and we really appreciate that.  We all pledge to do our very best to keep the Cayman Islands free of the coronavirus COVID-19.

Minister of Health Honourable Dwayne Seymour notes that “the Ministry is aware of the Caribbean Princess cruise line being in port today and wishes to reiterate the position noted above for absolute clarity and in the interest of the public’s health and safety, that no passengers are disembarking from the Caribbean Princess cruise ship into Grand Cayman today”.  

For more information on COVID-19 and for guidance on how to best protect your household, please visit www.hsa.ky/public-health/coronavirus  or contact the H.S.A.’s toll free hotline at 1.800.534.8600

Details of the steps that Government is taking to combat the disease is also available from www.gov.ky/coronavirus.