Epidemics and Pandemics

The Cayman Islands Government took early and decisive steps to protect our country from imported COVID-19 cases, and we continue to actively suppress the virus through swift enforcement of health and safety regulations, effective social distancing measures, the rollout of robust testing, vaccination, and many other initiatives with the private sector and non-profit community. For the latest information about the COVID-19 Pandemic, including details of the phased reopening plan, visit our dedicated microsite.

The Public Health Department keeps track of communicable disease occurrence.

Public health issues are addressed by the Communicable Disease Surveillance Committee, chaired by the Medical Officer of Health which meets once per month with representatives from other government divisions such as Public Health, Health Services Authority, Department of Environmental Health, Department of Agriculture, Health Services Authority Laboratory, Mosquito Research and Control Unit, and any other relevant department or agency may be invited depending on the disease or outbreak.

With weekly reporting from multiple sites, the Public Health Department is in a strong position to monitor disease occurrence and conduct outbreak investigations. The department also collaborates in disaster preparedness and response.

In March 2020 the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) was activated to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NEOC remained in a state of continuous activation for 104 days and the Cayman Islands was able to stop local transmission of COVID19. The country is now moving into the phased reopening period, and restrictions on entering the Cayman Islands are gradually being lifted in lifted in line with recommendations from Cayman Islands Public Health Department, the Chief Medical Officer and the Medical Officer for Health.

There have been no other outbreaks of any communicable disease for several years, except seasonal outbreaks of gastroenteritis and upper respiratory tract infections like influenza.

Residents are blessed with one of the best health care systems in the region. The Islands have three hospitals, five district health centres and about 100 physicians in the public and private sector for its estimated 65,000 residents.

Vector-borne diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, West Nile virus and malaria are not endemic in the Cayman Islands. Cases of malaria are rarely seen in the Cayman Islands despite there being many cases across the region as well as having the right mosquito to carry it.

There are a number of cases of Dengue each year in the Cayman Islands, mostly in travelers returning from endemic regions. Transmission is by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti is currently widespread on Grand Cayman.

Additional information on mosquitos that carry these diseases can be found on the Mosquito Research & Control Unit (MRCU) resource page.