Jamaica now has 163 confirmed COVID-19 cases, following the diagnoses of 20 new patients on Friday.
Three of the cases are from St. Catherine; two are females and Alorica employees, aged 33 and 19 years. The third case is a 42-year-old male, whose case is still under investigation. The Ministry of Health and Wellness said details of the other 17 will be made available to the public on Saturday.
Here’s a breakdown of COVID-19 cases in Jamaica:
- Confirmed cases: 163
- Imported cases: 33
- Contacts of a confirmed case: 39
- Local transmissions (not epidemiologically linked): 6
- Under investigation: 68 (This includes 62 who work at Alorica)
Of the 62 Alorica workers, 55 are from St. Catherine, four are from Kingston and St. Andrew, and one case each from Clarendon, St. Thomas and Portland. Two cases are close contacts of Alorica employees and are from Clarendon.
The Ministry has reported that, so far, 1, 516 samples have been tested; 163 tested positive and 1,363 tested negative. Up to mid-day on Friday, there were 140 persons in isolation and 24 in quarantine.
The Ministry is also urging the public to recognize, now more than ever, the importance of taking care of their emotional health. Suggested steps to do so include:
- Staying in touch with friends and family by giving them a call or reaching out to them via social media.
- Taking a break from social media, the excessive use of which has been known to create anxiety among some persons.
- Keeping a journal, which is a good outlet for self expression.
- Exercising.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is advising members of the public—including those with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension—to reduce their risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus by staying at home, avoiding crowded situations, frequently washing and sanitizing their hands, as well as covering their mouths and noses if sick or when out in public.
Brielle 