Health Ministry Maintains COVID-19 Surveillance

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, says that the surveillance protocols for the coronavirus (COVID-19) have not changed.

She noted, however, that citizens may see a reduction in some community interventions if the Ministry does not identify any significant clustering of confirmed cases in a particular area.

“We respond to what happens on the ground, so where it is that we do pick up [on] areas with clusters, then of course, we would go in and do the necessary interventions,” she said, while addressing a virtual press briefing recently.

Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie said that the interventions include testing persons from general hospital admissions, identifying suspected cases of the virus and testing any individual who shows respiratory symptoms.

“Normally, we would [observe] our influenza-like illnesses and our severe, acute respiratory illnesses, but we have moved to an enhanced respiratory surveillance where anybody that presents with any respiratory symptoms at all [will be] tested,” she said.

Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie noted that the Ministry is also conducting case investigations that will lead to the identification of contacts.

She noted that identifying contacts allows the Ministry to trace cases, which assists in the response to any clustering of confirmed cases in a community.

“We encourage our physicians at the different sites in health centres [and] hospitals to continue the surveillance, and we encourage persons that have symptoms to go into the facilities to get tested as well,” she added.

As of July 4, there were 50,389 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Jamaica; 1,094 deaths; and 32,604 recoveries.