In recent weeks, there have been several articles/discussions in the media regarding the accreditation of private laboratories for COVID-19 testing. It is critical that we understand what accreditation is and how it impacts our medical testing laboratories and safeguard our health. As the national accreditation body of Jamaica, operating under the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), the Jamaica...

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, is urging Jamaicans not to lose sight of the threat of dengue fever, even as the country is battling the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. “I don’t want a de-emphasis on vector management and control, even while we confront the COVID-19 pandemic, which we are currently placing dominance on,” he noted. Addressing...

Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says that the Government is taking the necessary steps to avert a possible ‘triple threat’ outbreak of dengue fever, the coronavirus (COVID 19) and the influenza across the island. Speaking at a digital press conference at the S Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James, recently, Dr. Tufton said that if there...

The Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ) is calling for widespread availability of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) across the island, particularly in major towns. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank held recently, Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist and Intensivist, Dr. Lambert Innis, pointed out that the most common cause of an adult collapsing suddenly is ventricular fibrillation, which requires the use of an...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, says Jamaica is on the right track in tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly as the country battles the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Persons living with NCDs are at higher risk of the worst effects of COVID-19. The Government, long before the pandemic, has been tackling NCDs through...

Entrepreneurs wishing to close their companies or businesses will have an additional two months to do so under the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) COVID-19 Relief Initiative. The Agency has extended the initiative’s deadline to December 31, 2020. Previous deadlines were August 31 and October 30. In addition to the extension, the offer will now include overseas companies. These companies...

NEW CASES 24 HRS OVERALL NOTES Confirmed Cases 126 9,257   SEX CLASSIFICATION       Males 89 4,175   Females 37 5,071   Under Investigation 0 11   AGE RANGE 9 years  to  92 years 1 day to 104 years           PARISH CLASSIFICATION OF NEW CASES       Clarendon 1 463   Hanover 4...