The Ministry of Health and Wellness is reporting that the coronavirus (COVID-19) Call Centre at the University of the West Indies (UWI) handled a total of 7,376 calls during its first month of operations from April 6 to May 6. Of the total calls, 91 per cent were outbound. Referrals from parish health departments for follow-up accounted for 2,165 or...

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne, is calling on member countries to implement “aggressive” preventive measures to safeguard persons with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) against the coronavirus (COVID-19). Speaking during PAHO’s weekly COVID-19 digital media briefing on Tuesday (May 26), Dr. Etienne cites the disproportionate impact of the virus on people suffering from NCDs, including cancer, hypertension, diabetes,...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says tourism-dependent countries, such as Jamaica, must put strategic plans in place to prepare workers for a reopening of the industry, in the shortest possible time. Mr. Bartlett said it is against this background that the most urgent priority is to secure the health and livelihoods of tourism workers and prepare the sector for...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says a combination of decisive leadership and swift action has largely spared the Caribbean from the direct onslaught of the coronavirus (COVID-9) pandemic in terms of transmissions and mortalities. Mr. Bartlett, who was speaking to international tourism stakeholders via Zoom on May 25, said that even before the region had recorded its first case...

As at Monday (May 25), Jamaica has recorded its highest number of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and have been discharged from isolation in a 24 hour period. Total recoveries today increased by 27 and now stands at 238 (42.8% Recovery Rate). In the meantime, four new samples have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing...

I am pleased to announce that the disembarkation process for Jamaican workers on the ‘Adventure of the Seas’ cruise line ship operated by Royal Caribbean   Limited (RCCL) was completed this afternoon (May 25) at the Falmouth Pier in Trelawny. The final batch of Jamaicans left the vessel this morning. The management of RCCL has reported that 1024 of the 1044 Jamaicans...

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is encouraging Jamaicans who will be returning to work on June 1, to act responsibly and follow the protocols that have been implemented to lessen the possibility of their contracting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and minimise the spread of the virus. “We know the measures that we have to take until we get...