KINGSTON, Jamaica. Friday, August 21, 2020: Regrettably in the last 24 hours, Jamaica saw another COVID-19-related death. The deceased is an imported case of a 69-year-old female from Manchester. The total death from COVID-19 is now at 16. At the same time, the country recorded 56 new confirmed COVID-19 cases. These bring the total cases on record for the island...

Given the spike in COVID-19 cases, it has now become necessary to delay the reopening of schools. We have consulted with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and barring any unforeseen challenges, schools will reopen on a phased basis beginning Monday, October 5, 2020. The re-engagement is based on a blended approach, which includes Face-to-Face teaching and learning, online and...

Churches located in the parishes where stricter curfew measures have been imposed will be prohibited from holding funeral services, conventions and other civic activities. This was disclosed by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who noted that these churches will be able to hold their regular worship services. "Burials, however, will continue, but with strict observation and enforcement of...

Five schools in rural Jamaica have benefited from a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) ‘Training of Trainers’ Workshop, organised by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF). Participants included 20 principals, guidance counsellors, teachers and ancillary staff from the Boston Primary School in Portland; Grange Hill Primary School, Westmoreland; Jacks River Primary School, St. Mary; Mount Moriah Primary School, St. Ann,...

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Jaquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, says the ongoing spike in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in St. Thomas has now pushed the parish figure to 107 cases over the last three weeks, with about 25 communities recording cases. Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie, while explaining the current situation in the parish where sections of the parish have been under quarantine since August 6,...

The subcommittee of Cabinet that deals with coronavirus (COVID-19) issues will meet today (August 21), to discuss the recent surge in cases confirmed in Jamaica and agree on measures to respond to the current situation. Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, made this announcement during his Ministry’s weekly COVID Conversations Digital Press Conference on August 20...

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has cleared the remaining 2,000 coronavirus (COVID-19) samples for testing. This was stated by Head of the National Public Health Laboratory, Dr. Michelle Hamilton, during a digital COVID Conversations press conference on Thursday (August 20). “The reagent for the cobas 6800 that we spoke about at the last press briefing did arrive in Jamaica...