KINGSTON, Jamaica – The enhanced COVID-19 measures for the parish of Westmoreland previously announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness will be extended until Friday, January 15, 2021.

Westmoreland remains the parish with the highest number of cases per population. The cases are spread across the parish involving more than 30 communities, health officials have announced. New cases are also arising weekly from several communities across the parish.

Officials said the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital is beyond its COVID-19 isolation capacity, and the general hospital capacity is near alert level. The number of moderate to severely ill patients in the Western Regional Health Authority’s hospitals are more than other regions, so there is limited capacity for any increase in cases.

Therefore, in keeping with the Disaster Risk Management (Enforcement Measure) (No. 16) (Amendment) (No.4) Order 2020, the curfew hours for Westmoreland will begin at 7:00 pm tomorrow, and end at 5:00 am on January 15, 2021, with people allowed to move about between 5:00 am and 7:00 pm each day.

During the period, gatherings in public places should not exceed 10 people, and markets and vending in public arcades and public transportation centres are only allowed during the hours of 6:00 am and 6:00 pm.

Additionally, between tomorrow and January 15, 2021, public transportation authorised by the Transport Authority Act will be allowed to operate between 4:00 am and 8:00 pm, with no passengers being transported between the hours of 4:00 am and 5:00 am and 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm.