Westmoreland reels from COVID-19 death

April 03, 2020

Jamaicans have been stocking up on food, cleaning agents, and household supplies as they seek to fortify their homes from the prowling new coronavirus that has everyone on tenterhooks. Shops and supermarkets, it is believed, are benefiting from 'crisis sales', but this is not the reality being experienced by shopkeepers in a section of Georges Plain in Westmoreland.

And this has been the case since last week when one of its residents tested positive for the coronavirus, and it has become even worse since he died on Wednesday.

"Is like wi have plague round yah, people start stay far from people, shopkeeper start haffi deh lock up shop because no customer naw buy from dem, and worst of all, no taxi naw carry nobody from round yah suh no more," one resident said.

A shopkeeper, told THE WEEKEND STAR that her business, which is located immediately across from the lane where the man lived, has hit a slump.

"People naw stop a mi shop nuh more, everybody fraid fi wi round here because dem seh dem fraid dem ketch corona," the woman said.

The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

As of Thursday, Jamaica had 47 confirmed cases of the virus including three deaths. One of the persons who died is 41-year-old man who had a travel history from the United Kingdom. He tested positive on March 23 and died on Wednesday from renal failure.

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