The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says despite the numbers still being very high, coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and hospitalisations are beginning to decrease in some member countries. Speaking during PAHO’s weekly COVID-19 digital media briefing on Wednesday (February 9), Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne, said cases decreased by 31 per cent relative to the previous week. Conversely, however, she said deaths...

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) with Responsibility for Information, Hon. Robert Morgan, said the Government continues to invest heavily in protecting citizens against the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19). “The Government has invested billions of dollars in the protection of citizens, with investments in the healthcare sector…[and] in the procurement of vaccines,” he said. Minister Morgan...

Assistant Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr., says work is under way by researchers to develop a universal or ‘super’ coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. It is anticipated that the proposed vaccine will be very effective against all COVID-19 variants and provide permanent protection against the disease. “We have several candidates [undertaking this research],...

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica (Met Service) has forecast that the drought conditions being experienced over central parishes, is likely to be alleviated by the predicted rainfall for the next few months. The most recent rainfall data from across the island show that the central parishes of St. Ann, St. Mary, St. Catherine, Clarendon and Manchester are experiencing a meteorological...

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams (right), holds a laptop as José Martí Technical School student Nadian Flemmings (second right), turns on the device. Occasion was a handover ceremony at the school on Wednesday (February 8). Head of Community at Tropical Sun Foods and Central Food Packers, Paul Harrison (second left), and Principal (Ag) of the school, Michelle...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the families in Olympic Gardens, Kingston, that were displaced because of fire in November 2018, will be the beneficiaries of a free housing solution, which is currently under construction. He made the disclosure during a tour of the constituency on Friday (February 4), when he visited the site. Mr. Holness noted that...

Approximately 200 small ruminants are to be imported under the Small Ruminant Development Programme by the end of March, to be distributed to farmers for expansion of the sector. In his address at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries press briefing on Tuesday (February 8), Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., said a permit has also been issued by the...