COVID-19: Official Press Releases From The Ministry of Health And Wellness

COVID-19 Official Press Releases and Other Official Information From The Ministry of Health and Wellness and The Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton

Click here for COVID-19: Press Releases and Documents Related to Official Government Actions

In descending chronological order:

April 17 MOHW Press Release – 163 Confirmed Cases

April 16 MOHW Press Release – 143 Confirmed Cases

April 15 MOHW Press Release – 125 Confirmed Cases

April 14 Dr Christopher Tufton Twitter Feed – 105 Confirmed Cases

#JaCovid19 Update: THREAD Jamaica now has 105 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This follows 32 new additions over the last 24 hours.

The new cases are comprised of five males and 27 females, who range in age from 19 to 70 years old. The cases are from St Catherine, and Kingston and St Andrew.

This brings to 34 the number of cases under investigation. Of the remaining 71 confirmed cases:

Thirty-one (31) are imported;
Thirty-four (34) are contacts of a confirmed case;
Six (6) are local transmission (not epi linked)

ALORICA INTERVENTION:

✓ 258 individuals have been interviewed and sampled.

✓ 65 tests are now completed.

✓ 33 samples have come back positive.

A senior team from@themohwgovjmvisited the entity at the weekend. The entity has since closed.

Arrangements are now being made for the isolation of the newly confirmed cases. The@themohwgovjmis also working diligently to identify each of their contacts for testing while investigations continue to identify other possible exposed persons.

RECOVERY, QUARANTINE, ISOLATION Currently:

Twenty (21) persons have recovered;
Twenty (20) persons are in quarantine;
Sixty-five (65) are in isolation.

OVERALL TESTING We have now tested 1,290 samples, including:

the 105 confirmed positives;
1,185 negatives.

MOBILE TESTING As has been previously announced, Jamaica is to expand its testing for COVID-19. As part of those expanded testing efforts, the @themohwgovjm will, beginning this Friday (April 17, 2020).. ..begin mobile testing for COVID- 19 in two health regions (the Southeast Regional Health Authority/SERHA and the Northeast Regional Health Authority/NERHA).

April 13 MOHW Press Release – 73 Confirmed Cases

April 12 MOHW Press Release – 72 Confirmed Cases

April 11 MOHW Press Release – 69 Confirmed Cases

April 10 MOHW Press Release – 65 Confirmed Cases

April 7 Dr Christopher Tufton Twitter Feed – 63 Confirmed Cases

We now have 63 confirmed cases in Jamaica for #Jacovid19 #COVID19JAMAICA . That is 4 additional cases since our last update.
We unfortunately have had 3 deaths.
We have had 9 fully recovered cases, who have been released.
New cases: A 48-year-old female; A 26-year-old female; A 26-year-old male; and A 48-year-old female.
The new cases – all of whom are contacts of a confirmed case from Kingston and St Andrew – bring to 30 the number of imported cases, 22 the number of import-related cases and 11 the number of cases under investigation.
NB: Of the 63 confirmed cases, 30 are imported, 22 cases import-related and 11 are under investigation. A total of 4,500 people have now come forward of about 5,400 in Jamaica who returned on or after March 18.
NB: CMO of @themohwgovjm: More than half the cases of #Jacovid19 in Jamaica are mild cases and so, there is no need for them to be in the hospital. Some are awaiting the second confirmatory test.
This will reduce the overcrowding on the Medical Ward of the KPH. KPH has allocated 32 beds on one ward for the Management of COVID-19 patients. Another ward has been reassigned to manage Severe Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases.
This has reduced the bed capacity of the Internal Medicine Department from eight (8) wards to six (6). An MOU was signed today during the Digital Briefing with Dr Leach, CEO of Andrews Memorial.
N-95 Donation – 100,000 N-95 masks are being donated to the Medical Association of Jamaica to outfit our private practitioners, who we need to keep their doors open, as part of the national COVI-19 national response efforts. An MOU was signed today during the Digital Briefing.
We recognize that there is a supply side shortage and have therefore opted to invest US 2.2 Million Dollars to make this donation possible, in the public health interest.
Call Centres/Hotline & Medical Students: We wish to formally welcome the 80 medical students who are now manning the MOHW Call Centre to the joint effort to #BeatCOVID19 in Jamaica.

April 6 MOHW Press Release – 59 Confirmed Cases

April 5 MOHW Press Release – 58 Confirmed Cases

April 4 MOHW Press Release – 55 Confirmed Cases

April 3 Dr Christopher Tufton Twitter Feed – 53 Confirmed Cases

Jamaica now has 53 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This follows six (6) new additions over the last 48 hours.
The new cases:
- A 57-year-old male from Manchester, who is the contact of a confirmed case;
- A 57-year-old male from Kingston and St. Andrew, who is a contact of a confirmed case;A 40-year-old male from Kingston and St. Andrew whose mode of transmission is under investigation;
- A 23-year-old male from Clarendon who is the contact of a confirmed case;
- A 42-year-old male from Clarendon who has a travel history to the United States;
- and A 22-year-old female from Clarendon who is a contact of a confirmed case.
To date, seven (7) persons have been Isolated, Treated and RELEASED
We also have:
- TWENTY-FIVE (25) persons are in quarantine.
- FIFTY-NINE (59) are in isolation.
We have now tested 540 samples, including the samples that were tested for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections. Among them are:
- the 53 confirmed positives;
- 484 negatives;
- and 3 pending.
The Govt will extend quarantine of Corn Piece for another 14 days
Approximately 10% (51) of the 540 persons tested are healthcare workers:
- 20 doctors;
- 25 Nurses;
- 6 Support staff.
- Only ONE (1), a nurse, has tested positive.
The 1st phase of sanitization of golden age homes and infirmaries have been competed. Hand sanitizing and washing mechanisms have also been installed. – Desmond Mckenzie
The Local Government Ministry has rolled out programme to take care of the outdoor poor. We have reached 22,000 Jamaicans. – Desmond Mckenzie
We have started a programme to find shelter for persons since the implementation of the nightly curfew. We providesd 100 bed solutions on church street last night. – Desmond Mckenzie
On Sunday we will commence the all island feeding programme – Desmond Mckenzie
Markets and Social Distancing: We continue to set out protocols on this such as hand sanitizers and washing basins installed. 50 million has provided for trucking of water to all municipalities. – Desmond Mckenzie
CMO of @themohwgovjm: If you are going to wear a mask, as a non medical person, the wearing of mask must be in addition to other measures:
- Hand washing / sanitizing
- Avoid touching face
- Avoid Coughing and sneezing
- Avoid Interactions with ill persons
@themohwgovjm recommends the wearing of masks for: persons who are ill, persons who are quarantined & those caring for the sick.
Persons who are ill with coughing and sneezing; Persons who are isolated at home with/without respiratory symptoms Household members who care or are in the same house; Persons who are at high risk of developing severe illness and complications of illness such as the elderly and persons with chronic illnesses Again, persons who have had COVID-19 and have been discharged from hospital should wear a mask for two weeks.
Govt of South Korea to provide Test kits for 7000 plus tests. Supporting equipment and training for technical personnel to come. – Sen. @kaminajsmith
International Atomic Agency will also provide 2000 Test kits – Sen. @kaminajsmith

April 2 MOHW Press Release – 47 Confirmed Cases

April 1 Dr Christopher Tufton Twitter Feed – 44 Confirmed Cases

Jamaica how has 44 confirmed cases and 3 deaths for #Covid19Jamaica #JaCovid19
All 6 new cases are related to the quarantined community of Corn Piece Settlement in Clarendon
The indexed case shows that the virus is HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS. We must confine ourselves to restrictions made by government
The testing has been sufficient to date in indicating presence of virus in population. It also allows us to monitor frontline workers and allows general testing for persons with respiratory ailments. However, plans are in place to be rolled to be absolutely certain.
Between now and weekend, we should roll out mobile testing.
@themohwgovjm will engage mobile branded units and they will be deployed across country. Starting with @theserhajm and @mohnerha #Covid19Jamaica #JaCovid19
Persons with the desire to be tested will be examined, if they meet requirements, samples will be taken and test administered. #Covid19Jamaica #JaCovid19
App/website to be published, for persons to sign up if they want to be tested. NB: If you want to be tested, you won’t definitely be tested, you have to meet requirements as said in above tweet. #Covid19Jamaica #JaCovid19

Community Quarantine: Corn Piece quarantine still quarantined, with 6 cases linked to the initial case. #Covid19Jamaica #JaCovid19
Community Quarantine: We are also monitoring 69 households in Portland Cottage, Clarendon. – 279 persons have been interviewed – 7 persons have been placed into isolation #Covid19Jamaica #JaCovid19
@themohwgovjm will shortly sign an agreement with the Andrew’s Memorial Hospital to be used as an extension of the Kingston Public Hospital. As needed patients, who are admitted as KPH will be housed at Andrew’s #Covid19Jamaica #JaCovid19

Parish by Parish Breakdown of the now 44 confirmed cases: Clarendon – 10 Hanover -0 Kgn & St Andrew – 12 Manchester – 4 Portland – 1 St Ann – 5 St Catherine – 4 St Elizabeth – 1 St Mary – 1 St James – 4 St Thomas – 0 Westmoreland – 2 Trelawny – 0 #Covid19Jamaica #JaCovid19
Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie CMO of the @themohwgovjm clarifies earlier statement: There 50 households in Corn Piece being monitored. The additional households are in other Clarendon communities of Portland Cottage, Longeville Park and Hague. #COVID19Jamaica #JACOVID19

extracted from: https://twitter.com/christufton/status/1245462918822596609