Sweeping changes have been announced by US Embassy

in Kingston, after one of its Jamaican employees was confirmed as the island’s

second novel coronavirus (COVID-19) case last week.

The embassy, in a statement on Tuesday

(March 17), explained that it took a range of mitigation steps to contain any

further spread of the disease, in accordance with the World Health Organisation

(WHO) and local Ministry of Health and Wellness guideline.

The US Embassy, in a thread on Twitter, said that the staff of the entire consular section where the individual works, and anyone who came in close contact with them was ordered to remain at home.

1. On Tuesday March 10, the U.S. Embassy in Kingston received information that an employee was in isolation on suspicion of COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, the US Embassy took the following appropriate mitigation steps. In alignment with J’can health authorities & WHO.— US Embassy Jamaica (@USEmbassyJA)

1. On Tuesday March 10, the U.S. Embassy in Kingston received information that an employee was in isolation on suspicion of COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, the US Embassy took the following appropriate mitigation steps. In alignment with J’can health authorities & WHO.— US Embassy Jamaica (@USEmbassyJA) March 17, 2020

The suspected co-workers were urged to

notify the embassy and the Ministry of Health & Wellness immediately if

they developed symptoms related to COVID-19 out of an abundance of caution.

“As a preventive measure, within 24 hours

of the incident, the Embassy flew in from Washington, DC a US Department of

State decontamination team that sanitised the affected areas of the embassy,”

the statement indicated.

“Following the initial precautionary steps

taken, the embassy attending physician, in consultation with other medical

experts conducted assessments of the staff who were ordered to remain at home

and made final determination on who to remain on home quarantine,” the US

Embassy continued.

It was determined that 14 individuals remain

in quarantine for the prescribed 14-day period, which is slated to end next Tuesday,

March 24.

The US Embassy indicated that as of 1:00 pm Tuesday, none of the 14 employees have manifested symptoms.

Additionally, the embassy is using the opportunity

to provide support to the Government of Jamaica in its national response to the

COVID-19 outbreak.

An offer was reportedly made to the Ministry

of Health for support through the embassy’s staff physicians and other public

health professionals if needed.

These personnel would assist the government

in areas of contact tracing, data management and critical care, the embassy

said in its statement.

“The embassy is also in the process of

acquiring resources from U.S. government agencies for support in the areas of

medical equipment, PPE (personal protective equipment), and testing kits, to

supplement GoJ’s efforts,” the embassy tweeted.

The embassy did not disclose what was the

current condition of Jamaica’s second case of COVID-19.