MONTEGO BAY, St James — The St James Health Department has increased personnel at the Montego Bay seaport and the Sangsters International Airport by 50 per cent to monitor the anticipated large number of Reggae Sumfest patrons coming into the island.

This year’s festival week kicked off with the Sumfest Street Dance on Monday, July 18, followed by Sumfest All White on July 19, Sumfest Blitz on July 20, and the Sumfest Global Sound Clash on July 21.

The Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre is set to come alive with the live stage performance of nights one and two of the festival on July 22 and 23.

Acting parish manager for the St James Health Department Lennox Wallace said the quarantine unit at the seaport and airport is fully prepared.

“The concern is always protecting your nation against persons with certain illnesses coming in, whether by plane or by boat. The quarantine unit at both ports have been fully mobilised. In fact, we have increased our cadre of staff there by 50 per cent at each port,” Wallace told the Jamaica Observer.

With the reduction of spread of the novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Health recently disclosed that a case of monkeypox disease has been discovered in the island.

Wallace said personnel assigned to the quarantine unit at both ports will be well placed to detect anyone coming through with symptoms of illnesses.

“The machine that will detect any elevated temperatures…our officers at the quarantine unit who, including the nurses, public health inspectors and other technical persons, are well trained to identify these signs and symptoms and to put persons into quarantine,” said the head of the St James Health Department.

He also disclosed that the organisers of the music festival have been cooperating fully with the health department.

“We regard Sumfest as one of the largest festivals in Montego Bay and for western Jamaica for a very long time. We have put in place, we have toured the facility, and I can tell you that the organisers have not refuse one single recommendation that is made by the Health Department. In fact, I would have toured there for myself and I am pleased that whatever protocols that we would have sent to them from May, that they are putting in these protocols. They have been put in and I am satisfied,” he said.

“In fact, I was called by them [organisers], a number of persons from both police, health, fire will monitor this festival from one location and to ensure that all protocols have been observed.”

He noted that he will be at the Catherine Hall venue to monitor the event along with other health personnel.

“I trust my officers, but I will be there myself to ensure that the laws of the Government of Jamaica is maintained so after the economic activity that I know Sumfest will bring, that the health protocol and the people of St James remain healthy to go back into work,” Wallace stated.