Relatives of Transport Minister die after contracting COVID, JLP in mourning

Two relatives of Transport and Mining Minister Robert Montague have died after contracting COVID-19. 

Carlene Angela Rodney, his sister, died on Sunday and Dorrette Palmer Lobban, a cousin, passed the following day, the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) said in a statement this morning. 

"Both had contracted COVID-19 and ailed for a short period of time," said the party that is also chaired by Montague. 

"The Jamaica Labour Party assures its Chairman and all Jamaicans who've lost friends and relatives to COVID-19 of its support during the difficult time which they are encountering," it added. 

It's not clear whether the two women were vaccinated. 

Jamaica is currently experiencing a third wave of the virus that has claimed over 1,400 lives and infected more than 63,000 Jamaicans.

Hospitals are beyond their capacity for COVID patients. 

Today is the third of seven no-movement days that the government has imposed to control the spread of the virus whose highly contagious Delta strain has been confirmed in the island. 

Just over five per cent of the population is vaccinated.

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