Expect more COVID deaths – health ministry

Jamaicans have been put on notice to expect more hospitalisations and even more COVID-19 deaths as the number of cases on the island, especially among the 60 years and older cohort, continues to rise.

"This is a very serious situation that we are facing," Dr Jacqueline Bissasor McKenzie, the island's chief medical officer, said at a press conference yesterday.

Some 309 out of the 362 beds that have been set aside for COVID-19 patients are now occupied. At the same time, the number of daily confirmed cases continues to rise with 329 new cases recorded on Wednesday.

Jamaica has been experiencing a high positivity rate for COVID-19, with nearly 19 per cent of persons sampled for the respiratory virus testing positive. Bissasor McKenzie said that it is important that Jamaica keeps its cases down to a manageable level.

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said that with the increase in hospitalisations, especially among the vulnerable, "the next phase of that is normally increase in deaths and that is something that we don't want to entertain at all".