Taxi operator says prostitute gave him COVID-19

ASt James taxi operator said he recently contracted COVID-19, after purchasing sex from a prostitute in Montego Bay.

The taxi operator told THE WEEKEND STAR that he is now at home recovering after testing positive for COVID-19 last Saturday.

“Mi hear man a seh she give other taxi man COVID, but mi neva did believe because mi know seh man badmine, so mi did kinda ignore that, and Saturday night after mi run mi last trip mi check har,” he said.

The taxi operator said that he paid her $2,000 for her services and about an hour later, a friend saw the prostitute leaving his car and informed him that she had allegedly passed on COVID-19 to other taxi operators. The taxi man said he initially thought his friend was joking, but after he mentioned six colleagues who recently tested positive after cavorting with the same prostitute, he began to take his words more seriously.

“When mi go home mi stay weh from mi family dem, but yu know mi cah really tell them what tek place,” he said.

“All this time, mi a wait fi go do a test fi find out if mi ketch it because over the weekend mi start feel a little funny inna mi body. Then mi finally do the test at a pharmacy yesterday (Wednesday) and dem seh mi positive. Jah know star, all now mi a fret, because mi caah believe seh mi work so hard fi mek mi $2,000 inna the day, and use it fi almost buy mi death inna di night.”

According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19, which has been confirmed to have affected 77,989 persons in Jamaica, spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with each other. A person can be infected when droplets containing the virus are inhaled or come directly into contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth.

People may also become infected by touching surfaces that have been contaminated by the virus.

The St James cabbie, who is thankful not to be severely ill, is urging persons to exercise care to protect themselves from COVID-19.