New COVID ward at Cornwall Regional as cases mount
Published:Thursday | October 8, 2020 | 5:48 PM
Christopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
A new ward has been opened at the Cornwall Regional Hospital to house COVID patients.
Chief medical officer of health for the parish, Dr Marcia Johnson-Campbell, told Thursday's monthly meeting of the St James Parish Council that the new ward accommodates 24 beds.
At the same time, Johnson Campbell said a four-bed isolation unit has now been completed in a section of the accident and emergency department of the hospital.
As at Wednesday, Jamaica had recorded 7,171 COVID infections and 126 deaths.
Of that total, St James has recorded 545 infections and 12 deaths.
The COVID cases include 18 at the Teleperformance Call Centre in Montego Bay this week.
The 545 COVID cases in St James represent the third highest number infection for any parish, surpassed only by Kingston and St Andrew with 2,730 cases and St Catherine with 1,661 cases.
Meanwhile, Montego Bay Mayor Leeroy Williams said the public health department has carried out the necessary measures to isolate the known cases at the call centre and for the building to be sanitised.
He has also renewed his appeal for people of the second city to observe the protocols aimed at helping to contain the spread of COVID-19.
“I want to strongly urge the citizens to take every precautionary measure, wash hands as often as possible, sanitise, wear your masks, and maintain social distancing,” Williams pleaded.
At the same time, he said the corporation is doing its part to enforce the COVID containment measures.
“I want to strongly urge the citizens to take every precautionary measure, wash hands as often as possible, sanitise, wear your masks, and maintain social distancing,” Williams added.
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