There are now 38 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Jamaica. Additional results received last evening from the National Influenza Centre, showed that of the nine pending results, seven samples tested negative, while two were positive for COVID-19.

The two new cases are:

• a 48 year old female from St. Elizabeth with a travel history from Boston/Atlanta, USA, who arrived in the island on March 24  and
• a 13 year old male from Kingston & St. Andrew. His mode of transmission is under investigation.

There are now twenty-four (24) imported cases, eleven (11) import-related and three (3) cases are under investigation.   

The Ministry was this afternoon advised of the death of one of its recovering COVID19 patients at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). Reports are that the patient was found unresponsive and was noted to have had a cardiac arrest. Resuscitation measures were unsuccessful.

In the meantime, a second patient [Patient 3.1, from St. James] has recovered from COVID-19 and released from hospital.