Tufton urges continued vigilance as COVID cases dip

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton has cautioned the population to continue its adherence to the COVID-19 protocols despite the current downward trend of cases.

"Our actions now will determine the future outcomes ... as we work to get all indicators, including hospitalisation and the positivity rate at a manageable level," Tufton said.

As the number of new COVID-19 cases continues on a downward trend, the minister hailed the healthcare team for its continued work and also thanked members of the public for their co-operation in adhering to the COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures and the orders under the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA).

Our assessments

"Successfully tackling this pandemic requires a whole-of-society approach and our assessments are showing a positive relationship between the implementation of our protocols and the regulations under the Disaster Risk Management Act and lower rates of COVID cases," Tufton said.

In the last 24 hours, Jamaica recorded 80 new cases, three deaths and 113 more recoveries. The daily positivity rate logged at 10.8 per cent, representing one of the lowest since January 2021. The seven day moving average (April 21-27) for the positivity rate now stands at 16.3 per cent.

The health ministry continues to appeal to Jamaicans to adhere to the provisions under the DRMA, even as they increase their vigilance to the infection prevention and control measures: washing hands frequently or using hand sanitiser; keeping a physical distance of six feet from others; wearing masks; and avoiding crowded situations.