The Ministry of Health and Welfare says 20 passengers who arrived in Jamaica from the UK on Monday tested positive for COVID-19.
“These people will now be placed in state isolation, along with four of their close contacts and monitored until they are recovered. In addition, the 20 positive samples will be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for genetic evaluation to determine whether they are of the variant strain of COVID-19, “the ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.
The results for two passengers are still pending, while about 267 travelers (excluding the four close contacts), who tested negative for COVID-19, will be transferred on Wednesday from state to domestic quarantine, the ministry added, watching people sent to the home quarantine will receive armbands and will be closely monitored by the parish health team and the Jamaica Police Force during the 14-day quarantine.
“Family members are reminded that they must strictly follow infection prevention and control measures when searching for relatives, as well as during the mandatory quarantine period, as these people can still develop symptoms in the next 14 days and transmit the virus to other people, “said the ministry, who also noted that the final number of passengers arriving on Monday totaled 301 and not 302 as previously announced.
Of the 301 passengers, five were transit travelers and three were children under 12, who were not included in the sample, according to the ministry.
During home quarantine, if people develop any symptoms, they are advised to immediately contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare at 888-ONE-LOVE (888-663-5683) or the parish health department.
Jamaica joined a growing list of countries on Monday that banned travel to the UK after growing concerns about a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) that spread rapidly in the European country.
Experts say the new coronavirus strain is transmitted up to 70 times more easily than the normal circulating strain.
More than 30 countries have banned travel from the UK since Sunday, after news of the rapidly circulating virus in the UK, which led to a rapid increase in infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Experts say there is no indication that the new strain of COVID-19 is resistant to available vaccines.