Quarantine To Be Lifted In Seven And Eight Miles At Midnight

The Government will not seek an extension for the 14-day quarantine, which was placed on the communities of Seven Miles and Eight Miles in Bull Bay, St. Andrew.

The quarantine will end tonight (March 27), at midnight.

These communities were quarantined following the confirmation of the island’s first positive case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in an individual from the community, and other cases linked to contact with that first positive person.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, gave an update at a press conference at Jamaica House on Friday (March 27), where he called on persons in Bull Bay to adhere to the guidelines given by the Government, specifically the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

“This is not to say that the residents of Bull Bay should not continue to maintain a high level of vigilance and caution, all the social distancing, and the recommended hygiene practices,” Mr. Holness said.

“Even though the quarantine will be lifted, the Ministry of Health [and Wellness] will have a presence and will continue its surveillance of the area,” he added.

The Prime Minister reiterated calls on Jamaicans to maintain social distancing, to wash hands, and self-quarantine for persons who have recently returned to the island.

“We are still in early days of the epidemic and we have managed, by virtue of the measures that have been put in place, to keep the numbers relatively low compared to others in the region, but this could change overnight,” he said.

He pointed out that today the Government “examined some of the threats that could contribute or trigger a spike in the numbers”.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, revealed that Jamaica now has 30 cases of COVID-19.

SOURCE: JIS