Positives Down, Omicron B2 Variant Discovery Among Findings in COVID-19 SitRep

Grand Cayman – This week’s COVID-19 Situational Report (SitRep) shows a downward trend in new COVID-19 positives over the last three weeks.

In Epidemiological, or Epi. Week 5 (30 January – 5 February), 1671 new cases of COVID-19 were reported. This was 475 less than Epi. Week 4, and 1068 less than Epi. Week 3. Six thousand, eight hundred and ten PCR tests were conducted in Epidemiological Week 5. In Epi. Week 4, there were 7930 PCR tests and 6810 in week 3.

The new Omicron variant BA.2 of COVID-19 was also discovered in the Cayman Islands on 3 February. The new variant was first identified in the Philippines in November 2021 and has since shown to be highly transmissible. Despite its level of transmissibility, BA.2 seems to present with less severe infection than the original Omicron variant, Public Health officials explain. 

Hospital admissions remained stable throughout Epi. Week 5, however there was one previously reported death in an elderly patient with multiple severe comorbidities on 2 February. There have been 16 COVID related deaths in the Cayman Islands since the beginning of the pandemic.

Since 11 December 2021, there have been 18 patients admitted to hospital who were Omicron positive. Eight of these patients were fully vaccinated. There were no deaths among the eighteen patients admitted with Omicron.  Their average length of hospital stay was 5 days, while those testing positive for the Delta variant remained in hospital for just under nine days. 

Between 11 November 2021 and the end of Epi. Week 5, there have been 15 children admitted to the hospital for COVID-19. Genomic sequencing isolated four cases of the Delta variant and one case of Omicron among the paediatric cases. Three out of 15 children had severe complications. 
Campaigns for both booster and children’s vaccination are in the final planning stages. The paediatric vaccine is expected to arrive from the United Kingdom in the next few weeks.

The full situational report can be viewed and downloaded here: https://www.gov.ky/news/press-release-details/covid-19-weekly-sitrep—epi.-week-5

COVID-19 RESOURCES

For further COVID-19 information and resources, visit www.gov.ky/coronavirus

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For specific information on the national lateral flow test policy visit https://www.exploregov.ky/lft-policy; and to report positive lateral flow test results go to www.exploregov.ky/report-covid19-result

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Operational hours 9a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, and 9a.m. – 1p.m. on Saturday. 

For mental health support, the Mental Health Helpline can be reached on 1-800-534-6463(MIND) from Wednesday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. 

If you have flu symptoms contact the 24-hour Flu Hotline at 1-800-534-8600, 345-947-3077 or by email to [email protected].

If you are having difficulty breathing, please call 911. 

The latest COVID-19 vaccination schedule can be found at https://www.hsa.ky/public-health/coronavirus/