• One
  positive test result potentially confirming community spread. All
  precautionary protocols, including isolation of loved ones and
  persons who came into contact with the person, are now in effect.
  
• A
  mandatory
  curfew
  comes
  into effect
  tonight Tuesday 24th
  March from 7:00 pm to 5:00 am.
  Non-essential persons flouting the curfew will be punished to the
  full extent of the Police Law.
  
• All
  public transport is shut down from today.
  Private taxis will continue with no more than two passengers at any
  one time so that each passenger is able to distance himself or
  herself as far as possible from the other passenger and the driver.
  

Grand
Cayman (GIS) –
The Cayman Islands will be under a partial lockdown as from 7:00 pm
tonight. “Staying home saves lives” is Government’s message.

Sounding
a note of grave caution on Tuesday, 24 March 2020, Cayman Islands’
leaders, headed by His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper and
the Premier, Hon. Alden McLaughlin, said the nation is now under an
essential partial lockdown, following a potential case of community
spread of the COVID-19 virus that was reported this morning.

Dr.
John Lee said:

• 14
  additional cases have tested negative.
  
• Results
  are expected from the CARPHA laboratory today.
  
• Total
  confirmed cases is now 6, including 1 death
  
• The
  new test case is from a patient at the HSA
  

Medical
Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriguez and HSA CEO Lizzette
Yearwood said:

• Additionally,
  eight family members of the patient and 14 staff members of HSA may
  have had contact with the person who tested positive at HSA and are
  in home isolation. The patient is still currently non-symptomatic
  for COVID-19.
  
• The
  person has no travel history.
  

The
Premier announced that Government has been overwhelmed by requests
for “Shelter in Place” exemptions and it would be pointless for
Government to proceed if all these orders were granted that we’ve
received requests for. Everyone is concerned about the economic
consequences of the order that we are about to make – Government
are too, but the economic consequences can never, I repeat can never
be more important than lives.

The
curfew will proceed tonight:

• Curfew
  is in place from 7 pm until 5 am daily for next 10 days. The RCIPS
  will monitor streets for curfew violators who will be arrested.
  
• From
  tomorrow (Wednesday, 25 March) Government will confirm all
  non-essential businesses that will be closed and all non-essential
  workers should stay home.
  

The
following companies are entities whose employees may be required to
work during the curfew and will be exempted. They should have
Company ID and a letter from the Company confirming the need for them
to work during hours of curfew.

• All
  emergency and essential services including the Police and Security
  Services, 911, Fire Service, Prison Service, Custom and Border
  Control, Department of Environmental Health and Island Waste
  Carriers.
  
  
• Emergency
  medical including HSA, Health City, Doctors Hospital, Ambulance
  Services and all Doctors’ Offices.
  
• Supermarkets,
  namely Fosters, Hurley’s, Kirk’s, Kirk Market in Cayman Brac,
  Billy’s Supermarket, Tibmart Co. Ltd, Cost U Less, Priced Right,
  Progressive Distributors, Cayisle Enterprises Ltd, Cayman
  Distributors Group, Jacques Scott Group, Blackbeard’s, Uncle Clems
  Distributors, Heston Ltd, Maedac Supply Ltd, MacRuss Superstore,
  Chisholms Supermarket
  
• All
  retail banks
  
  
• Utilities
  and Infrastructure namely Port Authority, Water Authority, Cayman
  Water Company, CUC, Sol Petroleum Cayman Ltd, Rubis Cayman Islands
  Ltd, Homegas Ltd, Ofreg, Cayman Brac Power and Light, Clean Gas,
  Refuel Ltd, Flow, Digicel, Logic and C3
  

The
Governor said:

• 
  Government is
  encouraging the vast majority of workers in Cayman’s workplace to
  stay at home.
  
• 
  Civil Service has shut
  down large parts of its operations and those allowed to work from
  home to comply with Government required actions.
  
• 
  There is no evidence
  whatsoever of one or two law firms personnel having contracted
  COVID-19; that is fake news.
  
• The
  emergency
  travel hotline
  for those needing to travel for emergency or compassionate reasons
  is 244-3333.
  

Minister
of Health, Hon. Dwayne Seymour said:

• 
  Ten days of curfew are
  vitally needed to shorten the possibility of being crippled by the
  spread of COVID-19 locally.
  

Commissioner
of Police Derek Byrne said:

• 
  With the order received
  from the Governor for the curfew, Police will enforce it over the 10
  nights following.
  
• 
  Police will use common
  sense and use fairness but there will be strict application of the
  order for curfew.
  
• 
  Persons stopped will
  have their names and addresses taken with a view to prosecutions to
  proceed.
  
• 
  While Police will take a
  common sense approach, the curfew is also not a free pass for
  persons to go pick up from work someone considered essential.
  

In
response to queries, it was made clear that sources for information
include gov.ky/coronavirus;
and email address Essential@gov.ky.

For the official Cayman Islands
Government web portal, www.gov.ky: