The Ministry of Health and Wellness has engaged 413 temporary workers to strengthen its vector-control interventions, in anticipation of increased vector-related activity islandwide in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Speaking during a special press briefing on Hurricane Melissa recovery at Jamaica House in Kingston on Thursday (November 6), Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said the temporary staff will...

The police in St. Elizabeth have been receiving additional assistance to maintain law and order, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. Head of the St. Elizabeth Police Division, Superintendent Coleridge Minto, said the Category 5 system left many officers stranded or unable to report for duty, as several communities became inaccessible due to flooding, debris and structural damage. Moreover,...

The tier-two emergency field hospital deployed in Black River, St. Elizabeth, to bolster healthcare delivery in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, is now operational and has treated approximately 50 patients within the past 24 hours. The hospital was established by Samaritan’s Purse International Relief, an evangelical Christian humanitarian organisation. “It’s an accident and emergency facility with a number of services…...

An Emergency Field Hospital has been deployed at the Black River High School in St. Elizabeth, to provide extensive medical services and support to the local healthcare infrastructure in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The hospital was established by the Samaritan’s Purse International Relief, which is an evangelical Christian humanitarian organisation. The hospital is staffed with more than 60 people,...

The Government has tasked the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), the nation’s primary electricity provider, with exploring the underground placement of sections of the national grid. This strategic consideration is aimed at enhancing the grid’s resilience and safeguarding its integrity in the face of natural disasters. In a statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 4), Prime Minister,...

There has been steady progress in recovery and relief efforts in the parish of Portland, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28. Parish Disaster Coordinator, Denise Lewis, told JIS News in an interview that while the parish was spared the worst from Hurricane Melissa, the activities of the Portland Municipal Corporation and stakeholders also assisted in minimising the...

The Westmoreland Health Department is urging residents to remain vigilant against health risks, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, which left widespread damage and disrupted water supplies across several communities. Chief Public Health Inspector for Westmoreland, Steve Morris, told JIS News that the department has observed significant public health concerns, particularly the emergence of new springs and surface water in...