Jamaican Hospitals at Critical Capacity
August 10, 2021 | Zhane Squire |
Jamaican Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton has announced that up to yesterday with respect to general occupancy 8 hospitals were in the red alert zone.
This means that 84% is currently where these facilities capacities are, while 4 are in the amber alert zone with greater than 74% of their beds currently being occupied .
“In terms of the field hospital beds, we have activated our field hospitals. There are 40 beds at Spanish Town Hospital and 32 each at Falmouth and St Joseph’s Hospital. Two other 40 bed facilities are to become available for a total of 716 COVID beds. So that is ultimately what will put in place,” he said.
As it relates to COVID-19 bed occupancy he said that 8 facilities are at over 84% of their current bed capacity, placing them in the red alert zone. These hospitals include Cornwall Regional, Savanna-la-Mar, Port Antonio, St Ann’s Bay, Mandeville Regional, University of the West Indies, Princess Margaret and Spanish Town.
Dr. Tufton Noted, “the geographic spread of the COVID-19 virus is now at a high level, noting that between 50 to 75% of communities have active cases over the last 2 weeks.” He also advised that “before the reopening of the entertainment sector the country was at approximately 7%, with the increase we are moving in the wrong direction. ”
Source Office of Health and Wellness
