Jamaica Gets Material To Conduct 3,000 COVID-19 Tests

NEW KINGSTON, Jamaica March 27, 2020 — The government has received material from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), to do about 3,000 coronavirus (COVID-19) tests.

Speaking at a digital press conference at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, in New Kingston, on March 25, Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie, said, “in the event of a spike” in COVID-19 cases, Jamaica’s testing methodology will change, and the government will be able to double the number of tests that it is able to do.

“In either case, we have two months’ supply of testing material. We do have enough test kits in place to conduct the surveillance, as well as the testing, of persons, who are suspected cases,” she said, adding that additional kits have been requested from PAHO.

“In addition to this, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is exploring the use of Rapid Test Kits,” Dr. Bisasor McKenzie revealed.

She noted that testing protocol includes testing: persons, who would have had contact with a confirmed case; persons, who travelled from an area, where there is community transmission and now presents with fever and respiratory symptoms; or persons, who meet the case definition of persons under investigation.

The government has stated that Jamaica now has 26 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and that the latest patient has no travel history.

The youngest person to test positive is 24 years-old, while the oldest is 79 years-old.

Some 514 persons have come into the island, from a country of interest, since January 31. Of that number, 14 are under quarantine in a government facility, and 237 are under home quarantine. The home quarantine numbers do not include the residents of Seven and Eight Miles Bull Bay or those of Corn Piece Settlement in Clarendon.