News

Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee, reported in an evening press briefing (Friday, 10 September) that 495 COVID-19 tests have been carried out since this was last reported on Thursday, 9 September 2021.

Of these, there were three positive test results with two in travellers and one from the community.

The community positive identified today was not vaccinated and is a contact of one of the two community positives reported on Thursday.

Thus far, 49 contacts of the initial two positive individuals have been tested and found to be negative for COVID-19. Additionally, of the contacts identified from on Thursday, 29 are fully vaccinated and two are partially vaccinated.

Of the two positives announced Thursday, the Health Services Authority has discovered through genomic sequencing that both are infected with the same viral strain of the Delta variant.

Friday’s additional positive case has led to further contact tracing in order to investigate all possible avenues and potentially identify the source of the infection.

While two students were removed from school on Thursday, 9 September for testing and subsequently tested negative, no further children of interest or connected to schools have been discovered to date as part of the ongoing investigation.

To date, there have been 102,860 COVID-19 vaccinations given in total in the Cayman Islands. Of these, 52,831 (74% of 71,106) have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 50,029 (70%) have completed the two-dose course. 

Thursday, 9 September at a vaccine clinic in the district of West Bay, 229 people received the COVID-19 vaccine. Of those, 209 people received their first dose and 20 people received their second dose.

Minister for Health and Wellness Hon. Sabrina Turner acknowledged this record one-day number of vaccinations. She said. “People are showing up in their numbers. We want this to continue and we appreciate your cooperation in making this a reality.”

Minister Turner noted that vaccinations continued at an increasing rate throughout the day on Friday, 10 September. She pointed out that the vaccination clinic at Camana Bay is open on Saturday, 11 September from 10am to 2pm and again from 4pm to 7:30pm.

A special vaccination clinic will also be held for the Sister Islands on Cayman Brac at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre on Wednesday, 15 September from 9am to 1pm. 

Dr Lee announced that Public Health England has confirmed that the United Kingdom Overseas Territories can decide to deploy booster programmes as a result of the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s approval for the use of booster doses of both Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines.

Additional details on the booster programme will be provided regarding the supply of booster shots and the dates of roll-out.