Sandy Bay, Clarendon placed under community quarantine
Sandy Bay in
Clarendon, Jamaica has been placed under community quarantine for 14 days
following recent positive coronavirus cases (COVID-19) coming from the area.
The area will be
quarantined beginning today at 6:00 am to Thursday, August 20 at 6:00 am, on
the recommendation of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, in collaboration
with the Clarendon Health Department and the Southern Regional Health
Authority.
Two positive cases are admitted to the May Pen Hospital, and contact tracing
carried out yielded six positive contacts of these two people, including an imported
case, the health ministry said.
It added that community surveillance was carried out in Sandy Bay and
neighbouring communities, which led to significant cause for concern because of
a lack of adherence to infection prevention and control measures.
“Crowd gathering was observed without use of face masks in one
church where several people with respiratory illnesses were noted. Members of
the church were found to be positive,” the ministry noted.
Another 13 people have been found with symptoms and have been sampled,
and there are an additional two confirmed cases and a suspected case from
Rosewell, a community neighbouring Sandy Bay, and from which several people
attend the same church.
“Due to the number of positive cases and the number of people with
symptoms in the community, the health authorities have concluded that there is
considerable risk for further transmission and infection in this
community,” the ministry said.
It said exposed
people in the community may develop infection and spread it to other community
members, resulting in a rapid increase in the number of positive cases.
“This is due to the high movement of persons within the affected
households within the community, the high population density in the area
identified, and the high vulnerability of persons in the community to severe
illness due to age, co-morbidities and other socio-economic factors,” the
ministry said.
The quarantine is to restrict further movement and to slow and prevent
exposure.
