(CMR) Health City Cayman Islands has issued a statement dispelling rumors that they have a suspected person at their facility with Coronavirus as local concerns continue to grow on the matter. The rumor was heard from yesterday afternoon stating that a person had been transported to the facility as a suspected case of the virus.
CMR shared the rumor this morning with a view to getting to the bottom of it and was able to ascertain that a heart attack victim was transported from a cruise to the East End health facility last week. Government sources did tell CMR off the record that an Italian patient was indeed quarantined at the facility but had tested positive for influenza A and not the virus. They stated in response to our initial post:
Response: He tested positive to Influenza A. Please don’t create unnecessary hysteria by using words like suspected Coronavirus. That doesn’t help anyone.
Question: Was he taken to Health City?
Response: Yes he was as a precaution. Tested and found to have the common flu
The last few infections have been from persons who traveled to Europe where the virus is quickly speaking. Friday Cayman did allow Italian cruise passengers to disembark the Costa Luminosa cruise ship after Jamaica restricted them on Thursday.
Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton said that based on the travel restrictions imposed on Thursday, a decision was made to allow the ship to dock but to withhold landing privileges from the Italians. Other passengers were allowed to leave the port.
Jamaica has placed a travel ban on China, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, and Iran.
However, Health City state in their press release that there have been no suspected cases at all and do not acknowledge anyone was taken to their facility for testing.
The statement reads:
CAYMAN ISLANDS (March 2, 2020) – In response to unsubstantiated rumors in the local community and unconfirmed reports, Health City Cayman Islands is reporting that there are no suspected or confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the facility.
Clinical Director Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil said, “These rumors are completely untrue and unsubstantiated. There are no suspected or confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Health City Cayman Islands. We are working closely with the Ministry of Health and Public Health officials regarding the potential arrival of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Cayman Islands, and would not accept any suspected cases without prior discussion with Government officials. We take infection control very seriously at Health City Cayman Islands, and our standard protocols guard against the spread of any bacterial or viral infection within our hospital.”
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