Test results from CAREC's lab in Trinidad have confirmed that the 31-year-old male patient, who died in our hospital earlier this week, had the pandemic H1N1 09 flu.

We have maintained regular contact with the immediate family and met with them again on Friday to share this new information and again offer our condolences on their loss.

It is important to remember that in the great majority of cases worldwide, the pandemic H1N1 09 virus causes mild to moderate illness which people recover from with self care in home isolation. However, a small percentage of patients - most of whom have underlying medical conditions -- have suffered serious illness or death. We have experienced this same spectrum of illness here in the Cayman Islands.

With the confirmation of the results from CAREC, we must be prepared for increased anxiety in the public and staff. We are therefore taking steps to heighten our public education initiatives including awareness among staff.

A session on our new guidelines re: surveillance and management in accordance with recent World Health Organization recommendations is scheduled for Monday at 8:00 a.m. in the Hibiscus Conference Room for all clinical staff -- both public and private. I encourage all physicians, nurses, med techs, radiographers in both the public and private sector to attend and become involved in the implementation of our national plan. Other sessions will be arranged and the dates and times will be communicated later.

There are also several additional public education initiatives which will be undertaken in the coming days to keep our community informed to ensure we are all prepared if the flu pandemic worsens.

I continue to encourage frontline staff in the delivery of optimal patient care and thank each member of staff for the support being given to our patients during this time.


Lizzette Yearwood
Chief Executive Officer