Gov’t extends curfew as Cayman Islands records another COVID-19 case

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, CMC – The Cayman Islands government Tuesday extended the existing curfew by three additional hours after the British Overseas Territory announced it had recorded another case of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Premier Alden McLaughlin said allowances will be made for essential services personnel and workers of companies designated as providing essential services.

The curfew would now be from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (local time) instead of the 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“From 6:00 a.m. (Wednesday) all non-essential establishments will be closed. Persons will be required to shelter in place, meaning stay at home unless you fall into one of the categories of essential workers or unless your establishment, your business qualifies as an essential establishment,” he said.

McLaughlin said that Cabinet will be meeting to finalise the regulations governing the current status.

“This is essentially a lockdown,” McLaughlin said, noting that the curfew will be in place for the next 10 days.

Earlier, Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee announced the new COVID-29 case, bringing the total to date to six.

Medical Officer of Health Dr Samuel Williams-Rodriguez said the mode of infection of the patient was being investigated to determine if it was a community transmission or if the person contracted the virus locally.

“We have been in contact with Customs and Border Control to ascertain the travel history for the patient, the close contact and the other members of the household,” he said, adding that information so far suggests that neither the patient nor any of the persons they’ve been in contact with have had any recent travel history.

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