PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti– Haiti recorded a significant increase in the number of positive coronavirus (COVID019) cases over the past 24 hours as the death toll from the virus climbed to 143 with two new deaths.
The Ministry of Public Health said that the 104 new cases of Covid-19 is a marked increase to the 37 cases that had been recorded on Tuesday and have pushed the total number of cases to 6, 831 since the first case was detected on March 19 this year.
The ministry said that the two new deaths were recorded in the North Department adding that there were 3,405 active cases being treated, an increase of 259 over the past 24 hours.
It said that the number of suspected cases in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, is 15,424, an increase of 560 over Tuesday’s figures.
In Guyana, the Ministry of Public Health said that the country as July 14, has 308 positive cases of the virus after eight more persons tested positive.
It said that while deaths from the pandemic have increased by one to 18, there are currently 135 active cases in isolation at various facilities and 20 persons in institutional quarantine. The COVID-19 ICU is currently housing five patients.
The ministry said that to-date, 3,379 tests have been conducted with 3,071 yielding negative results and urged citizens to continue practising social distancing in the workplace, public spaces, and while using public transportation to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease.
Meanwhile, in Jamaica, where there are 759 positive cases and 10 deaths associated with the virus, the Andrew Holness government on Tuesday tabled in the House of Representatives the COVID-19
The Task Force which consisted of ministers of government, members of the public sector, civil society, union and business leaders, was appointed to develop recommendations that can assist Jamaica in its economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the title “Rebuild Jamaica”, the Report focuses on key policy and legislative reforms that could support Jamaica’s economic and jobs recovery.
Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr. Nigel Clarke, who chaired the Task Force, said that he was grateful to all persons who contributed to the discussion and dialogue that informed the report.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is the most serious global public health threat in a century and is causing the most damaging global economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Every country in the world is being gravely affected, and Jamaica is no exception.”
Clarke said that the “still uncertain depth and duration of the pandemic compounds the challenges,” and that Jamaica cannot afford to wait to begin to chart its economic recovery.
“Our recovery efforts must immediately start and we must adapt to living with the realities of COVID-1,” he said, adding that the Task Force Report puts forward “ambitious reforms” that, on implementation, will assist with the island’s recovery.
“Jamaica’s resilience has been tested time and time again. And we have always come on top. This time is no different. By embracing reform with ambition, Jamaica can endure this pandemic, absorb its adverse social and economic effects, restore lost jobs and output, and not only “rebuild Jamaica”, but attain even higher levels of economic and social development in the years to come,” Clarke added.
CMC
