MOTORCADES CRASH - Virus forces Gov’t to draw brakes on mass frenzy
Published:Saturday | August 22, 2020 | 12:24 AMEdmond Campbell/Senior Staff Reporter
New curfew orders have been imposed by the Government in four more parishes as coronavirus cases continue to skyrocket.
In the wake of 98 recorded cases of the virus and one death on Thursday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that while this development was a cause for serious concern there was no need to panic.
Kingston and St Andrew alone recorded 98 positive cases of the highly contagious respiratory virus two days ago.
At present, there are 416 active new cases while the total number of persons tested positive has increased to 1,290. There are 31 persons hospitalised, including suspected positive cases of COVID-19.
The parishes now under a 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew until September 2, a day before Jamaicans vote in a national election, are Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, and Clarendon. The parish of St Thomas was already placed under a 7 a.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, while at least five communities have been placed under quarantine owing to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
The prime minister acknowledged that the latest restrictions would impact certain business activities.
‘Drive-through’ campaign
With a general election less than two weeks away, motorcades by candidates throughout constituencies have been banned, effective today.
Prime Minister Holness said on Friday that candidates would only be allowed what he termed “a drive-through” in constituencies accompanied by just two Coaster buses with no more than 15 persons each.
With the new arrangement, candidates passing through communities are not allowed to encourage gatherings or to stop and speak with their supporters.
However, Holness said that politicians are still allowed to carry out door-to-door campaigning with no more than five persons observing the health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The prime minister warned that if the latest scaled down version of campaigning was not observed the Government would have no choice but to ban the activities.
Giving details about the latest spike in COVID-19 cases, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie said the recent surge in positive cases seemed to have flowed from activities during the first week of August.
“We are still investigating the case results that we received yesterday (Thursday) but what we are seeing now is most likely due to an increase in movement and gatherings in the first week of August.
“Already, we are seeing where at least 16 of the confirmed cases are arising out of parties and nightclub activities,” the CMO said during a digital press conference on Friday at Jamaica House.
Bisasor-McKenzie said she believed that the health ministry could control the new surge of cases “through vigorous case investigation, contact tracing and enhanced community surveillance”.
She warned that if Jamaicans failed to observe the various health protocols to prevent new infections, the country’s health facilities could be overwhelmed.
“Do not be disheartened, do not panic. I believe we do have the resources to be able to contain it, but we do need the cooperation of the public to prevent new exposure and to prevent new infections,” she added.