Country Records 30 Cases Of COVID-19

There are now 30 cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the island, with four new persons testing positive within the last 24 hours.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, provided details at a press conference at Jamaica House on Friday (March 27).

“Of the total number, 20 are imported cases, with one death, which was announced earlier, and eight are import-related cases and two are under investigation,” Dr. Tufton said.

He said the new cases include an 87-year-old male from Manchester with a travel history, which includes New York; a 51-year-old male from St. Catherine with a travel history that includes New York; a 52-year-old male with no travel history, but who is a close contact of a visitor from Canada who reported ill on returning to Canada; and a 56-year-old male from Manchester with no travel history, but was in contact with tourists from several countries.

The Minister noted that 250 tests have been done, to date, regarding COVID-19.

Dr. Tufton said the testing methodology has been expanded to look at not just persons traced but persons with severe upper respiratory ailment, in an attempt to establish a control group.

SOURCE: JIS