Sharp increase in St Ann COVID cases
Published:Saturday | December 12, 2020 | 12:13 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
There has been a dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in St Ann over the last three months, according to the St Ann Health Department.
Senior Public Health Inspector Leroy Scott told the monthly general meeting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation on Thursday that of the 634 cases confirmed in the parish since March, 75 per cent were recorded over the last three months.
Up to the end of August, the parish had recorded 84 cases.
In September, 166 cases were recorded and another 150 in October. In November, 179 cases were recorded.
So far in December, 44 cases have been confirmed.
While the majority of cases is among working-age persons, there was a three-month-old confirmed with the virus.
Scott said that there were currently 101 active cases in the parish with ages ranging from 15 days to 85 years. There are 27 persons in the over-65 category, 30 in the 45-64 age group, 26 in the 25-44 years, 12 in the 15-24 years, five in the 5-14 years, and one in the under one-year category.
In terms of health districts, St Ann’s Bay had 251 cases, Ocho Rios 143, Brown’s Town 89, Alexandria 77, and Claremont 66. There has been a recovery rate of 79 per cent.
Scott said that while there have been noticeable efforts, especially among the business community, to prevent the spread of the disease, the transport sector remains a major concern as some passengers are still refusing to wear masks.