Ministry of Health and Wellness officials yesterday refused to release the details on a 79-year-old man who became Jamaica’s first casualty of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in the ministry Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie noted that the case is being investigated, and that detailed information will be released as soon as it becomes available.

However, she reported that the patient, a 79-year-old male from Clarendon with a travel history that included New York, was known to have diabetes and hypertension.

“He was taken to the Lionel Town Hospital on Monday, March 16, with fever, cough and shortness of breath. At that time he was noted to be critically ill and was transferred to the Mandeville Public General Hospital where he was isolated and treated,” Dr Bisasor McKenzie explained.

She said that the patient had shown some improvement on Tuesday [March 17], but yesterday his condition started to deteriorate.

“His test came back positive today for COVID-19. He continued to deteriorate today and during the process of transferring him to the University Hospital of the West Indies, before he was able to leave the hospital he demised at approximately 3:00 pm,” she said yesterday at a press conference held at Jamaica House..

The man’s family was informed and a public heath team was assigned to his home in Clarendon, and at the hospital, to make the necessary efforts to sure that any possible source of infection was contained.

This death means that there are now 14 patients being treated for the novel coronavirus, the total figure having risen to 15 yesterday with the addition of two more patients with the disease which was eventually reduced to 14 with esterday’s death.

Dr Bisasor McKenzie noted that, in terms of the status of the 14, 13 are in stable condition and are doing well, of which three are now asymptomatic and will start their discharge testing shortly.

“We have one person that has been in our care for about five days, and that person had some chronic illnesses, and is showing some symptoms still. This morning when we spoke to the team on the ground, they said that the person was not critical, but still ill,” she added.

The ministry is now awaiting the results from six more tests, which are now at the National Influenza Centre. One of the positive cases is linked to the first patient to be identified with the illness, Patient One, while the second is a new patient with a travel history including New York.

It was noted that 258 people have visited Jamaica from a country of interest since January 31, of which 25 are now in Government facilities for quarantine, 91 are in home quarantine. But these numbers do not include persons who are involved in the community quarantine in the Seven and Eight Miles area of St Andrew.

The parish by parish picture of the contacts who have been identified and are being followed are: Kingston and St Andrew, 224; St James, 114; St Ann, 26; St Mary, 22; Clarendon, 21; St Catherine, 9; Portland, 6; Havover, 3; and Trelawny and Manchester, two each.

Dr Bisasor McKenzie urged individuals with symptoms to stay home and contact the health ministry, which will guide them on what to do.

“This is how we are going to be able to contain any of these centres of transmission that we have,” she noted.