KINGSTON, Jamaica —Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton has sought to assure members of the public and potential visitors to Jamaica that there is no need for panic in light of the ministry’s announcement of a leptospirosis outbreak on the island.

Tufton, while speaking at a press conference on Thursday, said his ministry has been managing the outbreak declared last week.

“Our discussion or narrative around this issue is intended to provide the necessary advisory to protect Jamaicans and to heighten the levels of alertness,” Tufton said. “We are mindful that can be understood as panic and we would like to discourage that and sometimes the headlines does project the need to panic. This is not what our intentions are.”

The health minister further said his ministry is working closely with the tourism sector and has discerned no great risk of the outbreak to tourists.

“We are working very closely with the tourism sector. We have discerned no great risk in terms of the facilities that cater to tourists, whether it is the hotels which themselves are doing some rehabilitation as we speak because of the impact of the hurricane,” Tufton said.

He said the ministry is also working with certified attractions that cater to tours and visitors.

“We work closely with those entities too, there is a certification process that is required in conjunction with health. We are not giving an advisory to discourage tourism and visitors. We are just placing all on alert and are particularly focused on the vulnerable communities. Those communities of course we have identified and where we are collaborating based on our operations, National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA)) and others as part of the clean-up of solid waste and of course treating with water to avoid the risk of water-borne diseases including leptospirosis,” Tufton added.

The country has so far recorded a total of 90 cases. Fifty-one of those cases were pre-Hurricane Melissa and 39 cases were post-Hurricane Melissa. Of the 90 cases, some 21 cases have been confirmed — three cases pre-Hurricane Melissa and 18 post-Hurricane Melissa.

READ: 14 leptospirosis-related deaths, 6 confirmed — Dr Webster-Kerr

Additionally, the island has recorded 14 leptospirosis-related deaths, six of which have been confirmed.