HANOVER, Jamaica — The Hanover Health Department says it will be stepping up its presence across the parish in search of Portmore, St Catherine residents, who have reportedly fled to Hanover.

The parish of St Catherine has been under lockdown since Wednesday after becoming the epicentre of positive coronavirus cases in the country.

“We are not going to stop. I don’t know how, but they are still coming here. So, we are going to keep this search on and put them under quarantine,” stated Dr Kaushal Singh, the medical officer of health for Hanover.

Dr Kaushal Singh was speaking with OBSERVER ONLINE earlier today, after it was revealed that five persons who reportedly fled St Catherine were found in the parish.

Yesterday, the Hanover Health Department sought the assistance of the police in carrying out a search across the parish to identify and investigate reports of persons migrating from Portmore, St Catherine, to Hanover.

Dr Singh told OBSERVER ONLINE today that the search will continue as more calls are coming in from residents in Hanover communities who are giving information.

 “In the morning [today] I got another two calls, and they were saying that the people came yesterday and they are still here. So, if people continue to come here, then we need to continue this activity and put them in home quarantine,” Dr Singh argued.

Dr Singh is asking individuals with information to call the Hanover Health Department at 1876-956-9873.

ANTHONY LEWIS