Chief Medical Officer (Interim) Dr. Autilia Newton reported 71 new cases of COVID-19, 11 in travellers and 60 from the community on Friday, 24 December. Public Health reported 459 PCR tests were conducted on the previous day.
There have been 40 newly confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, bringing confirmed cases of the variant to 44. There were 25 newly suspected Omicron cases on Friday, 24 December bringing the total suspected cases of the variant to 59.
These results left the number of active cases of COVID-19 in the Cayman Islands at 3,605 as of midnight (12am) on Friday, 24 December. Active cases are monitored by Public Health, and include both cases found in the community and linked to travel. The total number of cases recorded since the start of the pandemic stood at 8,457 at the same time.
The total number of persons in isolation linked solely to community transmission at midnight on Friday, 24 December was 3,555.
In addition, 6 COVID-19 patients were hospitalised in the Cayman Islands as at midnight on Friday, 24 December.
The Public Health Department also confirmed that on Thursday, 23 December the total positive lateral flow tests, since the introduction of the lateral flow test programme in the Cayman Islands, reached 2,234. These are included in the total positive numbers given above.
To date, there have been 125 total cases recorded in the Sister Islands, with 120 having recovered. Out of the total number of cases in the Sister Islands, 66 were fully vaccinated, six were partially vaccinated, and 53 were unvaccinated.
There have been 132,395 COVID-19 vaccinations administered in the Cayman Islands. To date, there have been 58,729 people (83% of 71,106) who had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, 57,077 individuals (80%) had completed the two-dose course.
Additionally, 16,589 people (representing 23% of the total population) had received a third or booster dose up to that point.