KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica has recorded one death from the coronavirus (COVID-19) and 29 new cases of the virus as health authorities renewed their pleas for people to follow the necessary instructions to curb the spread of the virus.
The Ministry of Health in its latest bulletin said that the 13th person died from the virus on Friday and the deceased is an 88-year-old female from Clarendon, who was admitted to a public health facility in the parish on Tuesday.
“The mode of transmission is currently under investigation. At the same time, 29 new samples have tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of confirmed cases for the island to 987,” the authorities said.
They said of the newly confirmed cases, nine are females and 20 are males with ages ranging from 15 to 88 years. There are 12 imported cases, who all arrived recently on a flight from the Dominican Republic. “
“Jamaica now has 177 active cases under observation including seven moderately ill patients. Recoveries remain at 745 while 52 (5.3%) cases have returned to their countries of origin.
“The COVID-19 case record for Jamaica now consists of 364 imported cases; 281 cases that are contacts of confirmed cases; 62 local transmission cases not epidemiologically linked; 236 related to the workplace cluster in St. Catherine and 44 are under investigation.”
The authorities said they were urging the public to be vigilant in the practice of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, including the frequent washing of hands with soap and water; maintaining the prescribed six-feet physical distance from others; and wearing a mask when in public situations.
“Visitors and returning residents are reminded that they must comply with quarantine orders, to help to protect their own health and the health of others.”
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago health authorities said that 18 positive cases being reported were from tests conducted during the period July 31 to present.
“Therefore this figure is not representative of the positive cases over the past 24 hours. Only one positive case come from a sample taken within the last 24 hours,” the Ministry of Health added.
Trinidad and Tobago has 243 cases and eight deaths from the virus that was first detected in China last December and blamed for 722,000 deaths and 19.4 million infections worldwide.
CMC
