A look at Jamaica’s 10 COVID-19 cases
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Jamaica now stands at 10. One of the new cases was identified through contact tracing to the first case (Patient Zero), while the second patient presented at hospital with a travel history to Trinidad and Tobago and had symptoms similar to COVID-19.
Both persons were isolated and samples collected and tested.
The first COVID-19 patient, a Jamaican female, travelled from the United Kingdom, which has cases of COVID-19. She arrived in the island on March 4, presented to the public health system on March 9 and has been in isolation since.
The second patient is a female employee of the US Embassy in Kingston, who visited the UK and returned to the island last week. The Ministry of Health & Wellness said that she no longer has symptoms.
Three of the 10 persons who have tested positive have been traced to Patient Zero. However, very little information has been revealed about the extent to which the second patient, who works at the United States embassy in Kingston, was in contact with members of the public.
The World Health Organisation estimates that the number of secondary infections generated from one infected individual – is understood to be between two and 2.5 for COVID-19 virus, higher than for influenza. However, estimates for both COVID-19 and influenza viruses are very context and time-specific, making direct comparisons more difficult.
Up to Saturday, March 14, some 27 patients were in isolation facilities.
The health ministry said that 19 tests were conducted between Saturday and Sunday by the National Influenza Centre, and 17 of the cases tested were negative.
The 17 patients who tested negative included persons who are from Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Ann and Clarendon who were identified through contact tracing from confirmed cases.