(CMR) In a press conference this afternoon, the government of the Cayman Islands confirmed its first COVID-19 case. The panel of speakers including the Chief Medical Officer, Minister of Health, Premier McLaughlin and several physicians.
Rumors had been circulating all afternoon that we had a confirmed case and a source at Health City indicated that physicians there had an emergency meeting around 4:30 pm.
The patient is a 68-year-old Italian man that was taken off the cruise ship and transported to Health City for critical cardiac care. However, early rumors were that he was a suspected case which was vehemently denied with a press release that same day. Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil of Health City said the man had come to the hospital with cardiac disease and did not have respiratory symptoms when he was admitted.
Six results have been sent overseas and four have been negative with one outstanding. As his cardiac condition improved he “developed mild respiratory symptoms” and was placed in isolation from that point onwards.
He said the patient had been getting better from a cardiac point of view when he developed mild respiratory symptoms. From that moment, he was in isolation.
Cabinet is planning an extraordinary meeting tomorrow to consider what additional measures should be implemented at this time. He shared that they had already been having discussions to prepare for the worst-case scenario but are making plans to ensure that does not happen.
Minister of Health Dwayne Seymour indicated beds and other COVID-19 related equipment is still some 3-4 weeks away from possible delivery to Cayman.
Several events are already being canceled including the Inter-Primary Track and Field Championships which expected some 4,000 students, parents, and teachers to congregate for the finals tomorrow.
A Bodden Town meeting scheduled for this evening has also been canceled.
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