GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands
– The Chief Medical Office Dr. John Lee announced today that the
preliminary results have now come back from the first tests for
COVID-19 to be carried out here in the Cayman Islands.

Of these 20 tests there were 19
samples sent from Health City and one referred through the Health
Services Authority. All the samples have tested negative for the
virus causing COVID-19. All the test samples will be sent on to
CARPHA for confirmation.

The Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin
underscored the point that Dr. Lee made, that these are preliminary
results and we will await confirmation of the results from CARPHA. In
the meantime the patients will remain in isolation.

Mr. McLaughlin went on to announce
more measures that Cabinet has put in place to continue to limit and
control the spread of COVID-19.

From 11:59 pm on Sunday 22nd
March all bars will be closed and restaurants will be restricted to
take out and delivery only. In addition, all gyms, spas and public
swimming pools will close as of the same date for an initial 2 week
period.

Due to the economic impact of the
virus and the measures Government are taking to constrain its spread,
a onetime emergency COVID 19 stipend will be made to permanent
financial assistance recipients to help them better prepare with
additional provisions and medical expenses.

This one time stipend of CI $425 will
be provided in addition to the $850 they currently receive monthly as
their regular stipend and will be paid on 30th
March 2020. Currently, 1,025 people receive permanent financial
assistance, this includes 841 seamen and 81 veterans.

The Government will also make a
one-time stipend payment on 30th
March 2020 to families who are currently in receipt of food vouchers
to accommodate additional supplies. Currently Government supports 311
families with food vouchers. Government is expecting a doubling in
the number of families currently supported and are budgeting to cover
a 3 month period.

Responding to a query on Caymanians
unemployed as a result of the tourism industry contraction, Mr.
McLaughlin said the Needs Assessment Unit (NAU) is being geared up
with redeployed personnel and additional budget to process
applications using means testing which they will handle via phone or
email.

Regarding the need for certain
segments of the population to self-isolate, Mr. McLaughlin appealed
to them to be responsible and voluntarily follow the prescribed
guidelines.

He specifically appealed to students
who have already returned from the US and some 470 students who will
be returning from the UK in the next few days to not treat this as a
spring break and not gather in groups big or small. Returning
residents coming off the BA flights on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
will each be provided with a messaging sheet about what they should
do, notably self-isolate for 14 days, so that everyone gets the
message. This is a real health threat, a major threat to families
and friends, but particularly older members and the most vulnerable
in our community.

Tackling fake news being spread, Mr.
McLaughlin reiterated that there is absolutely no truth that cargo
ships would be stopped from bringing goods to the Islands.
Supermarkets and merchants had assured Government that supplies would
not be interrupted, except for items like sanitizers the
non-availability of which is currently an issue worldwide.