COVID outbreak at Duhaney Park police lock-up

Fourteen inmates and one member of staff at the Duhaney Park police lock-up in St Andrew have tested positive for COVID-19 amid another outbreak of the virus in Jamaica. 

Commanding officer for St Andrew South, Senior Superintendent Kirk Ricketts told The Gleaner that several inmates reported experiencing flu-like symptoms last week. 

Ricketts said of the 22 inmates at the facility, 15 were tested while seven refused to be swabbed for the virus. 

“Nevertheless, they were exposed and as such, they remain at the facility in quarantine. They are all in quarantine and from the report given to me, all of them are doing well. There are no serious complaints,” he said. 

He added that six staff members were tested, but only one returned a positive result. 

Ricketts said the Hunts Bay police lock-up, which falls under the division, has not been affected. 

“Duhaney Park has become one of the quarantine lock-up facilities. There are no admissions to the facility. New prisoners are sent elsewhere, as we await the quarantine period to pass,” he explained.

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