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Compass News
Covid no longer leading cause of respiratory illness in Cayman, says CMO
Despite a rise in illness reports, Dr Nick Gent confirms Covid now ranks third or fourth among respiratory infections in the Cayman Islands.
| 00:02:18
Cayman Compass
COVID-19 no longer Cayman’s main respiratory infection
COVID-19 is no longer the leading respiratory illness in the Cayman Islands, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nick Gent, who says the virus has now ‘settled into the mix’ alongside other common illnesses.
“We do see occasional cases of COVID but we don’t routinely test for it, because it’s no longer the most common respiratory virus infection that we see,” Gent said, stressing that when doctors see patients with respiratory infections, “it could be due to one of four or five different causes”.
According to Gent, the most common respiratory infections in Cayman right now are the cold viruses, particularly rhinoviruses, which typically cause mild colds, and influenza viruses such as influenza A, which can cause more severe illness and complications. These are driving seasonal spikes in illness, particularly as children return to school.
