CAYMAN
ISLANDS (March 17, 2020) – Health City Cayman Islands is reporting
that the first 19 of the hospital’s staff members tested for
COVID-19 are negative for the virus. The results of the tests run by
the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority (HSA) were announced at
a Cayman Islands Government press conference by Chief Medical Officer
Dr. John Lee on Tuesday, March 17.

Since
the tests were performed for the first time in the Cayman Islands,
the samples will also be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency
(CARPHA) as a quality control measure, and confirmation of the
initial results should be received in the next few days.

In total, forty Health City staff members and
their families who were considered to be in direct risk were
immediately quarantined and had samples taken from them once a
patient at the facility tested positive for the virus on Thursday,
March 12.

“For these
first 19 tests to have negative results is very good news,” Dr.
Binoy Chattuparambil, Clinical Director of Health City Cayman Islands
said. “These were the first samples sent for testing and were taken
from those staff members who were in direct contact with the patient,
and some of whom also exhibited flu-like symptoms.”

The hospital
quarantined and tested all staff members and their families who were
considered to be at direct risk for exposure to the COVID-19 virus.
The level of contact with the patient determined the risk level.
Additionally, any of those staff members who displayed flu-like
symptoms were included in the testing group.

“As we await
the remaining test results, we are secure in the knowledge that we at
Health City have taken rigorous measures to contain any possible
spread of the virus, and have also been advised, instructed and
reassured by Public Health England officials in this effort that we
are taking all of the necessary and correct steps,” Dr.
Chattuparambil explained.

He further
outlined how the levels of contact were assessed for testing.

“In the context
of COVID-19, there is an important degree of difference between what
is considered ‘social contact’ – such as passing someone in a
hallway; ‘infectious contact’ – such as being sneezed or
coughed on by a symptomatic contact; or ‘secondary infectious
contact’ – such as touching a surface that a symptomatic person
has sneezed or coughed on. Those individuals who have tested positive
would have had ‘infectious contact’ or ‘secondary infectious
contact’. In this instance, it is unlikely that a positive test
result would have resulted from ‘secondary infectious contact’ as
Health City employs stringent infection control procedures including
mandatory regular hand-sanitation and hand-washing by staff members,
and ongoing cleaning and sanitation of the facility,” Dr.
Chattuparambil said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. Studies to date suggest that the virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through contact with respiratory droplets rather than through the air. (Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses)

Currently testing
capabilities are limited on island and testing for COVID-19 and at
present is being restricted to symptomatic high risk contacts.
Symptoms include fever, respiratory symptoms such as sore throat,
cough, chest tightness or shortness of breath.

According to the WHO, the COVID-19 incubation period - which means the time between catching the virus and beginning to have symptoms of the disease - ranges from one to 14 days, and is most commonly around five days. (Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses)

Dr.
Chattuparambil counseled members of the public to remain vigilant in
protecting themselves from infection.

“Please rest
assured that we are abiding by the highest standards of infection
control and have also taken expert advice on the containment of
COVID-19. I would like to continue to urge everyone to follow
standard precautionary measures against contracting the virus,
including regular hand-washing and practicing good respiratory
hygiene,” he said.

Dr.
Chattuparambil advised that Health City is continuing to work closely
with Cayman Islands Government health officials on regular updates
regarding the local COVID-19 situation and will issue further updates
as soon as any new information is available.

Individuals who
develop any flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose etc.,
are advised to contact the Cayman Islands Public Health Department at
flu@hsa.ky or via the flu hotline at 1-800-534-8600.

For more
information about how to protect yourself from acquiring COVID-19,
visit www.hsa.ky/coronavirus
and www.gov.ky/coronavirus