TCI News
TCI: Statement on Confirmed COVID-19 Overseas Transfer Patient in Jamaica
#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Sunday April 18, 2020: The Turks and Caicos (TCI) Hospital wishes to confirm that a patient who was recently transferred back to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) in Jamaica on April 16th 2020 for advanced critical care later tested positive for COVID-19.
The patient was admitted to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre for an emergency surgical re-operation, which was life-saving and required a transfer overseas for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and other tertiary level support not currently available in the TCI. An overseas referral was therefore generated and forwarded to the TCI National Health Insurance Board.
The overseas medical facility was contacted by the TCI National Health Insurance Board and was provided with the required clinical information on the patient. This information was reviewed, and the patient was accepted by the overseas medical facility. The same process was followed to engage the Air Ambulance companies.
The Ministry of Health in Jamaica in consultation with other relevant authorities granted the standard approval to accept the critical and time-sensitive medical transfer via the treatment abroad program (TAP). There was an obvious reason for the patient’s medical condition and the patient did not meet the case definition for suspected COVID-19 in the Turks and Caicos Islands or Jamaica.
Based on the UHWI’s pre-screening form, there were no clinical suspicions related to COVID-19. The patient was fully isolated shortly after arrival and tested within 12 hours out of an abundance of caution. The results returned as positive for COVID-19 and all parties involved in the delivery of medical services to the patient have been notified.
The patient remains in stable condition in the COVID-19 ICU. TCI Hospital, the TCI Ministry of Health and TCI National Health Insurance Board wishes to extend best wishes to the affected patient for a speedy recovery given the diagnosis. Due to patient confidentiality, no further details can be released.
While medical teams across the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre and Ministry of Health continue to operate with elevated IPC precautions, the TCI Hospital in collaboration with the TCI Ministry of Health is currently reviewing the timelines leading up to the patient’s diagnosis. In addition, contact tracing was immediately activated in collaboration with the public health team to identify anyone who require screening and/or quarantine based on their risk level for exposure.
The overwhelming majority of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 locally and globally present with symptoms in accordance with the case definition established by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, there is increasing scientific speculation into the occurrence of atypical presentations as the global pandemic evolves. TCI Hospital continues to monitor the latest evidence-based findings related to COVID-19 case definitions, conduct risk assessments and adjust infection prevention and control (IPC) procedures accordingly.
FULL STATEMENT ISSUED SATURDAY APRIL 18, 8:37 PM
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 20 February 2026 — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in collaboration with key
government agencies, coordinated a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Block and Parcel 60609/33 in the Five Cays area.
The exercise was led by the Crown Land Unit, pursuant to its statutory mandate under the Crown Land Ordinance to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land. The ISU coordinated the operation, with support provided by the Planning Department and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, while the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force ensured security throughout the activity.
The enforcement action followed a series of inspections conducted by the Crown Land Unit throughout Five Cays, which identified several illegally constructed buildings made of concrete and timber on sections of the subject parcel. In keeping with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance, occupied structures were served Letters of Illegal Occupation, delivered by hand to occupants and
posted on structures where individuals were absent. Incomplete and unoccupied structures were served Notices of Unauthorized Occupation pursuant to section 22 of the Ordinance. A total of ten (10) Letters of Illegal Occupation and three (3) Notices of Unauthorized Occupation were issued during the exercise.
The Informal Settlements Unit reiterates that these coordinated enforcement exercises form part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to uphold the law, protect Crown land, and manage informal settlements in a structured and lawful manner. Members of the public are reminded that unauthorised occupation and development on Crown land is unlawful and subject to enforcement action.
Almost two million visitors recorded in 2025
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stayover arrivals in December, seven percent higher than the corresponding period in 2024.
Preliminary data suggests that stay over arrivals by air for the month of December was 66,427 in comparison to 62,610 in December 2024.
From January to December 2025, preliminary visitor arrival numbers totalled 640,754; on par with the number recorded for the same period of 2024.
Stay Over Arrivals YTD December 2024/2025
The first quarter of the calendar year attracted the largest number of arrivals with visitor arrivals three percent higher than the first quarter of 2024. Reduced airlift from the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably the Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue services, was however felt from the second quarter (April to June). As a result, visitor arrivals dropped three percent in the second quarter.
By the third quarter of this year (July to September), geopolitical and economic conditions in the key source markets, namely the United States, led to further contraction of arrivals. In the last quarter of 2025, arrivals were impacted in October due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa but additional airlift from the USA and Canada resulted in an increase in arrivals in November and December.
Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, said December’s increase in stayover arrivals is an encouraging indicator of the sustained interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination.
“While we note and continue to monitor geopolitical shifts that affect us, Experience Turks and Caicos is focused on increasing marketing initiatives in our primary source markets. We have spent the last two years investing in groundwork such as crucial travel advisor training to assist them in selling the destination more effectively. In the next fiscal, we will be building on those initiatives with co-op activities with partners as well as out of home advertising to increase visitation to our destination,” he said.
In Cruise, the preliminary count of passenger arrivals for the month of December 2025 was 129,346, a 22 percent increase over last December. This growth follows the berthing of 11 additional ships in Grand Turk this month.
From January to December, the cruise sector continued to outperform the same period last year, as the 1.3 million total cruise passengers recorded, marks a five percent Year-on-Year increase. 
The cruise sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with passenger arrivals surpassing last quarter by 53 percent. In the second and third quarter however, several cruise lines adjusted their itineraries as vessels were pulled from the fleet or from the Caribbean region, which resulted in fewer passengers.
Arrivals dropped seven percent and 10 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. Double digit growth was recorded in the last two months of Quarter 4. This growth however, was not sufficient to outweigh the drop in arrivals experienced in October, following the cancellation of cruise calls due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Despite the late-quarter rebound, arrivals for the final quarter of 2025 closed six percent below the same period in 2024.
News
The Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
