65 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Jamaica

Jamaica now has sixty-five (65) confirmed cases of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The two new COVID-19 cases are:

• A 50-year-old female from St James with a travel history from New York; and
• A 21-year-old female from St Catherine who is under investigation.

They bring to thirty-one (31) the number of imported cases, twenty-two (22) the number of import-related cases and twelve (12) the number of cases under investigation.

The twelve (12) cases under investigation have been traced to six (6) individuals who have given no history of travel or contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 prior to testing positive:

• One individual from Portland, two of whose contacts have tested positive;
• One from Kingston and St Andrew with five contacts who have tested positive; and
• Three other individuals – one from St Mary and two from St Catherine.

All of these individuals are in isolation.

The Ministry is actively investigating all the contacts of these cases. Persons of interest in these investigations have either been quarantined or isolated.

So far, 34 (or 52 per cent) of the confirmed cases are males and 31 (or 48 per cent) are females. The cases range in age from twelve (12) to eighty-seven (87) years. The average age is 49.17 years. Thirteen (13) patients have fully recovered while four have died.

There are currently twenty-two (22) persons in quarantine in a Government facility. Fifty-six (56) persons are in isolation.

One person in isolation is currently critically ill. A common feature among the persons in Jamaica who have had severe illness has been the presence of comorbid illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension.

Jamaicans are reminded that they must reduce their risk of exposure if they have chronic illnesses and also reduce the risk for elderly persons. They can do so by:

• staying at home if they are sick with fever and/or respiratory symptoms such as cough or cold symptoms;
• frequently washing and sanitizing hands; and
• covering their mouths and noses if sick, in a high-risk group, or in crowded situations.

High-risk groups include the elderly and persons with chronic illnesses, such as sickle cell disease, cardiovascular and kidney disease, in addition to diabetes and hypertension, among others.