CITING privacy concerns, the US Embassy in Kingston yesterday said it was unable to share additional information after reports surfaced of a “COVID-19 case related to an employee”. It noted, however, that the embassy’s consular section, which was first closed yesterday, will remain shuttered until further notice.

“In coordination with Jamaican authorities, embassy Kingston is implementing all appropriate measures to help control the spread of COVID-19,” the embassy said in a release. “The embassy is in the process of sanitising the premises to prevent further outbreak. Our consular section will not be providing routine services – including visa processing and American citizens services – until further notice.”

It has advised US citizens travelling to Jamaica to review and follow the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines for the prevention of coronavirus, read the travel advisory and country information page for Jamaica on travel.state.gov, and enrol their travel plans in the Smart Traveller Enrolment Programme ( STEP.state.gov).