This Caribbean Country Now Has Over 1,500 COVID-19 Deaths

By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, KINGSTON, Jamaica, Thurs. Sept. 2, 2021: A popular Caribbean tourist destination now has over 1,500 deaths from COVID-19 as it added another 31 Wednesday.

Jamaica has reached 1,549 deaths as another 351 new cases were reported Wednesday, pushing the total to 68,482 infections. Over 18,531of those are active cases.

Among the latest deaths is a nurse at the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital in Westmoreland. Diagrea Cunningham, 37, of Farm Pen district in the parish, is the second active Jamaican nurse to succumb to the virus in recent weeks, the Jamaica Gleaner reported.

Cunningham, who recently tested positive for the coronavirus, was employed at the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital, where she worked as a supervisor covering both the accident and emergency and pediatric wards.

The news comes as Jamaica’s health ministry said it received a shipment of bulk oxygen to help as the country’s health sector grapples with increased cases and hospitalization.

With COVID-19 hospitalizations, deaths, and infections continuing to climb since August, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has again tightened the COVID-19 measures, including adding six no-movement days, to curtail the surge in virus cases.

Speaking at a digital press conference on Wednesday, Holness said the new measures will include six no movement days, meaning curfews will span the entire day. The days on which the 24-hour curfew will become effective are Sunday, September 5; Monday, September 6; and Tuesday, September 7. Then again on Sunday, September 12; Monday, September 13, and Tuesday, September 14.

People will be required to stay home on those days.

In relation to the other nightly curfews outside of the no-movement days,  for Wednesday to Friday, these will run from 7 pm to 5 am. On Saturdays, the curfew will start at 6pm.