46 new COVID cases - Coronavirus could delay reopening of schools

Last night, Jamaica recorded 46 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed positives to 1,192.

Recoveries also increased by two to 772. Of the 46 newly confirmed cases, there were 22 males and 24 females, with ages ranging from four years to 76 years.

They have addresses in Kingston and St Andrew (13); St Thomas (eight); Clarendon (seven); Portland (four); St James, St Catherine, St Mary (three each); St Ann (two); and Westmoreland, Trelawny, and Manchester (one each).

The National Public Health Laboratory reported that more than 1,300 tests were done. Nineteen of the new positive cases are from the backlog of cases from the period July 5 to 18, and 27 are recent samples submitted from surveillance being done in-country. Sixteen of the 46 new cases were imported, 15 arrived directly from the US, and one from India via the US, all in early July 2020. Thirteen are contacts of confirmed cases and 17 are under investigation.

Risk assessment

Meanwhile, Education Minister Karl Samuda said that if the upsurge in COVID-19 cases continues, the Government would have no choice but to delay the phased reopening of school.

Samuda said a risk assessment of trends in the COVID-19 cases is being done by health officials to assist in determining whether the proposed phased reopening, scheduled to start on September 7, should proceed or be delayed.

"If the cases continue to spike and it is deemed unsafe for students and teachers to physically return to school, we will have to reassess [the situation] and put in place contingency plans to face that eventuality," he said. Samuda advised, however, that the ministry will engage stakeholders in dialogue on the matter before a final decision is made.

"We will hold consultations with (the) Jamaica Teachers' Association, National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica, Ecumenical Church Group, Jamaica Independent Schools' Association, the Jamaica Prefect Association, the National Secondary Students Council, and representatives of tertiary institutions, among others," Samuda said.

He was speaking on the third day of the Jamaica Teachers' Association's 56th annual conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, on Wednesday.