Cayman Islands Premier Wayne Panton has tested positive for the coronavirus, government officials said Tuesday.
Panton took a lateral flow test, which showed up positive, and is now awaiting the results of a confirmatory PCR test.
The premier, who is mildly symptomatic, will remain at home for the next seven days and attend Cabinet and caucus meetings via Zoom, according to a press release from his office.
Panton had been expected to appear at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual parliamentary lunch, scheduled this Thursday at The Ritz-Carlton hotel.
The event is a key fixture in the premier’s annual calendar and often includes a significant policy announcement.
Last year, Panton used the platform to announce plans for a phased reopening of Cayman’s borders following the extended closure caused by the pandemic.
As of Tuesday, he was expected to deliver a recorded message at the event.
News of the premier’s positive test came as the island’s COVID numbers dipped slightly, compared with the previous week. The 7-day rolling average for cases – up to Monday this week – is 46, compared with 58 the previous week.
There are a total of 837 estimated active cases in the Cayman Islands currently, including eight people who are in hospital. There are no current cases on the sister islands.
Within the past month, government has lifted mask mandates and reduced quarantine times for COVID patients as life returns to normal.
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