BREAKING: 1st confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cayman

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(Caymancompass.com) – The first case of the coronavirus has been confirmed in the Cayman Islands, Premier Alden McLaughlin said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.

The patient is a visitor who was transferred from a cruise ship for a critical cardiac issue, the premier said.

He added that the patient is doing well and is still in isolation in hospital, adding, “We are confident that all the appropriate measures have been and continue to be taken and the patient poses no risk to the broader community.”

Health Minister Dwayne Seymour said the patient had been placed immediately in isolation upon entering Cayman.

The patient was among six who had been tested for coronavirus. Four tested negative and the result of a sixth test is still pending.

Seymour warned against spreading of rumours and fake news, following a series of inaccurate social media postings and messages.

A public health meeting on coronavirus, scheduled for Thursday evening in Bodden Town has been cancelled, Seymour said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) leaders on Wednesday declared the outbreak to be “the first pandemic caused by coronavirus”. There have been 125,048 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across at least 117 countries, according to the World Health Organization. There have been 4,613 deaths associated with the virus, according to WHO.

Neighbouring Jamaica confirmed two cases in the last 48 hours and announced on Thursday that the country is closing schools for 14 days.

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