Several Percy Junor nurses in quarantine after exposure to COVID-19 patient

Damion Mitchell, Integration Editor

Several nurses at the Percy Junor Hospital in Manchester have been sent home to be quarantined after being exposed by a male patient who was last week tested positive for the coronavirus.

Hospital sources said the patient was dishonest about his history of contact with people who had travelled from overseas.

On Friday, the Health Ministry listed a 56-year-old male from Manchester with no travel history among the latest COVID-19 cases.

The ministry said he was in contact with tourists from several countries and the investigation on this case was continuing.

Contacted this morning, the president of the Nurses' Association of Jamaica Carmen Johnson confirmed that some of her nurses are now in self-quarantine.

Johnson could not immediately indicate the number of nurses, however, she said, it is standard procedure for health practitioners to be quarantined if a risk assessment indicates that they were exposed to an infectious disease.

The NAJ president was also disturbed by reports that the patient was not honest about his history.

"The populace needs to understand that we want to save ourselves," Johnson said.

She said, too, that patients must appreciate that health practitioners depend on their honesty to assist in diagnoses.

"The longer you are not honest with yourself, is the longer the delay," she said.

At the same time, Johnson is encouraging nurses to take every precaution and to ensure that all patients are asked about their travel history or contact with travellers.

Yesterday, the Health Ministry reported that Jamaica now has 36 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

This includes a health worker.

The ministry did not indicate the parish of the worker or the exact profession.

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