‘It would be devastation’ - May Pen Hospital CEO urges Clarendon residents to report aliens to avoid spike in coronavirus cases

The CEO of the May Pen Hospital is calling on Clarendon residents to stick to the guidelines by the health authorities and report any strange persons seen in the parish who might be fleeing from other parts of the country, as the fight against the deadly coronavirus continues.

“Be vigilant. If you know of any Portmore persons coming to the community, call the police or doctor or myself,” he urged residents last week, “because anyhow this thing come into our inner-city communities, it would be devastation.”

Addressing a digital meeting of the Clarendon Inter-Agency Network Meeting last week, St Andrade Sinclair said that the hospital would not be able to handle a surge in COVID-19 cases, pointing out that although a ward was being retrofitted at the health facility, there would be a significant need for other spaces to treat cases.

The maternity ward at the May Pen Hospital is now being retrofitted to isolate and treat COVID-19 cases in Clarendon.

“The hospital capacity is 170 beds, and what we have done [is] we have taken away the female surgical ward, which usually houses maybe about 30-35 beds,” he said.

Sinclair revealed that when the works are completed, the ward will have about 20-25 beds, adding that the number could change as construction is still under way.

23 CASES, 1 DEAD

Up to 6 p.m. yesterday, Clarendon had recorded 23 cases of the virus, with seven patients already recovered and one death.

The hospital CEO said that with the current national projections, if there is a surge in COVID-19 cases in the parish, accommodation would be needed elsewhere.

“Mandeville has something similar. They have 30 beds. They, too, would need help. Almost every hospital will need help,” he said during his presentation. “We are going to need help from the private sector. There is no doubt about that.”

Pointing to offers being made by hoteliers for the Government to use their facilities, Sinclair said that he would be looking to the private sector for similar offers in the event that the need surfaces.

“ ... Our hospitals would not be able to withstand any type of surge. We are just a category C hospital, where we are only equipped to handle certain things. We just have to pray as we are in no position to deal with that onslaught like New York,” he said.

Up to 6 p.m. yesterday, New York had recorded 258,361 of the 823,251 cases in the United States. New York has also registered more than 19,104 of the 44,805 COVID-19 deaths in the country.

Sinclair commended the Government for the work being done, noting that the rapid response since the virus surfaced locally has been “unbelievable”.

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