WHILE reporting that 19 of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19, the Ministry of Health and Wellness disclosed late yesterday that the country has recorded its eighth fatality associated with the infectious disease that has killed more than 230,000 people worldwide.

The latest person to have died after testing positive for the new coronavirus is a 63-year-old woman from St Catherine.

The ministry also reported an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases yesterday, with the figure jumping to 422 after 26 additional people tested positive.

Of the 26 new cases, the ministry said nine are males and 17 are females, with ages ranging from eight months to 63 years.

To date, 104 patients are hospitalised with three of them being critically ill and another 14 being moderately ill. A total of 29 people have recovered from the virus.

In relation to its employees who have tested positive for the virus, the ministry said besides the deep cleaning and sanitisation of its New Kingston offices and the provision of counselling services and care packages to employees directly affected, additional changes will be implemented. These changes include the scheduling of workers to reduce the number in the office at any one time, and work-at-home protocols for more of its technical staff.