The Ministry of Health and Wellness is urging citizens to observe the stipulated coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention and control protocols after Jamaica has seen an increase in its positivity rate over the past few weeks.

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, who was speaking in parliament on Tuesday (July 11), said that the number of COVID-19 cases has not been increasing, however, the has been an increase in the island’s COVID-19 positivity rate.

“Over the past four weeks, there have been an average of 87 confirmed cases, the number of cases is not increasing with an average seven-day positivity rate of 22 per cent,” Tufton said.

The COVID-19 positivity rate refers to the percentage of COVID-19 tests that have been conducted that have shown to be positive.

Tufton noted that Omicron and its subvariants were found to be the most prevalent circulating variants in society.

As of July 10, 2023, Jamaica has recorded a total of 155, 455 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,586 COVID-19 deaths.

Increase in admissions at hospitals

The minister also indicated that Jamaica is currently experiencing an increase in hospital admissions with the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) and Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) at 149 and 94 per cent of capacity, respectively.

“Of course, being over a hundred per cent means that we have to make space in the aisle and in the hallways to for additional persons,” Tufton said.

SRHA and the North East Regional Health Authority (NRHA) are currently at 68 and 63 per cent capacity overall. Tufton stressed that the Spanish Town Public Hospital and Kingston Public Hospital are between 95 and 100 per cent of capacity.

This is a similar case for the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) which is now at 100 per cent capacity.

“Madam speaker the management of the University Hospital of the West Indies has also reported some increase in occupancy levels particularly in their accident and emergency. Normally UHWI is a referral institution and persons tend to go there when there is a significant emergency, so its understandable particularly in KPH and Spanish Town Hospital are also experiencing similar numbers,” he said.

However, Tufton shared that the number of hospitalisations due to COVID-19 is relatively low.

Dr Tufton said that “The Ministry of Health and Wellness continues to encourage Jamaicans to observe the infection prevention and control protocols. Although the COVID-19 numbers are relatively low, a continued increase in the positivity rate may result in an increase in numbers including hospital numbers.”

He urged at-risk individuals, the elderly and those with underlying conditions to adhere to necessary prevention methods such as handwashing, sanitisation and wearing masks.

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