The Government of Jamaica has issued a second (community) quarantine order, this time for the Corn Piece settlement in Clarendon.

The imposition of the order was announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness in Parliament on Thursday, March 19.

The announcement comes in the wake of the death of a 79-year-old man with a travel history from New York and who was confirmed to have the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on March 18.

Since his death, also on March 18, members of his family, who reside in Corn Piece, have refused to comply with the requests of the public health team on the ground to remain at home.

“These persons would have been exposed to a symptomatic person and have a high risk for infection … The persons so exposed may be incubating the virus,” the PM said, explaining the justification for the quarantine.

“At this time, we are unsure of the number of persons in the community who have been so exposed and require that the community and the family comply with the quarantine order to conduct the necessary contact tracing and investigations,” he noted.

The PM, who expressed his sympathy for the family of the deceased man, was quick to add that the quarantine was not a ‘sentence’.

“We are not sentencing anybody. We are not taking away your liberty. You are not going to be abused. This is for your own benefit. The Jamaican state cannot take any risks with this disease,” Holness noted.

Corn Piece – like Seven and Eight Miles, Bull Bay in St Andrew before – will be under quarantine for the next 14 days. During that time, the public health investigations will be completed, even as residents are monitored closely for any signs of COVID-19. Early detection of symptoms will allow for early isolation and prevention of the transmission of the virus.

The boundary for the quarantine runs from its starting point along the private railroad track that is located to the east of the community then heads in a southerly direction for approximately two hundred and thirty metres (230m).

It continues in a southwesterly direction to a point just south of the Corn Piece Settlement community along the gully way and then in a northerly direction along another gully way for a distance of approximately 530m to a point west of the three-way junction leading into the Corn Piece Community. It then runs in an easterly direction and terminates at the start point at the private railroad track.

Jamaica has confirmed sixteen (16) COVID-19 cases. Eleven (11) of that number are imported cases and five (5) are contacts of the first case that was detected.

There are 39 persons currently in isolation at hospitals across the island, Twenty-five (25) of that number are in Government quarantine facilities and ninety-nine (99) in home quarantine.

Contact tracing is underway for all cases while five hundred and seventy-seven (577) contacts are being followed.

extracted from: https://www.moh.gov.jm/jamaica-issues-second-community-quarantine-order/

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is advising that effective Monday, March 16, all travelers from countries where there is local transmission of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) will now be required to self-quarantine for up to 14 days.

If during that time they develop symptoms, they are to contact the Ministry at the COVID-19 line: 888-754-7792 or at 888-ONE-LOVE (663-5683). Additional numbers to call are 876-542-5998, 876-542-6007 and 876-542-6006. Be advised that these numbers are experiencing heavy call volumes but the Ministry will get to your call as soon as possible.

Jamaicans who may have had contact with anyone who is symptomatic are also asked to self-quarantine and to contact the Ministry.

The Ministry, with the backing of the whole of Government, continues to move aggressively to curtail the spread of COVID-19 and urge the public’s continued cooperation to safeguard public health. Members of the public are therefore reminded to:

• Maintain a distance of at least one metre from persons who are coughing or sneezing.
• Frequently perform hand hygiene by washing hands thoroughly with soap and water or using a hand sanitiser if hands are not visibly soiled.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and then discarding it.
• And resist the habit to touch your face.

Further, public gatherings and non-essential travel are discouraged.

In addition to the numbers provided, information and updates on COVID-19 can be found at the Ministry’s website at https://www.moh.gov.jm and social media platforms @themohwgovjm. Members of the public may also email covid19@moh.gov.jm or jacovid19facts@gmail.com for information.

The United Kingdom will be added to list of countries, which travel restrictions have been imposed by the Government, as Jamaica continues to combat the spread of COVID-19. This is to become effective on Monday, March 16, 2020.

Persons who have arrived in Jamaica from the UK in the last 14 days are to self-report immediately to the Ministry of Health and Wellness by calling 888-754-7792 or 888-ONE-LOVE (663-5683).

In the meantime, the travel restriction means that:

1. all Jamaicans who visited the countries of interest in the last 14 days would have landing privileges in accordance with the law but would be subject to a health assessment and quarantine;
2. persons who visited countries of interest in the last 14 days and who do not have permanent residency or marriage exemption in Jamaica would not be granted landing privileges at any of the country’s ports of entry;
3. non-Jamaicans who have permanent residence and marriage exemptions who were landed and who had visited countries of interest in the last 14 days would be subject to a health assessment and quarantine;
4. persons who visited countries of interest and who are granted landing privileges and are classified by the Ministry of Health and Wellness as high risk will be quarantined in Government facilities; and those who are assessed by the Ministry of Health and Wellness as low-risk will be quarantined at home under the supervision of the Parish Health Department;
5. individuals returning from countries of interest who are granted landing privileges and who display any symptom of the novel coronavirus 2019, as per the case definition published by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), would be placed in immediate isolation at a Health Facility; and
6.  Flight Crews who have transited through countries of interest will be landed in island but will be under self-quarantine arrangements. The following is expected in self-quarantine:
   • Stay alone in a well-ventilated room (Air Conditioned Unit on or Windows Open for airflow
   • There should be no sharing of bathroom facilities i.e. each room must be equipped with its own bathroom facility.
   • Delivery of food to the room via room service only
   • Persons do not leave the room except to return to the airport for the flight
   • HAVE NO contact with other members of the public inclusive of flight crew, friends and family.
   • WASH hands using soap and water before and after using the bathroom, coughing and sneezing
   • AVOID touching eyes and mouth especially after sneezing or coughing.
   • If symptoms of acute respiratory infection, including fever, cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing, then:
   • Contact the emergency services immediately
   • Wash hands with soap and water and put on a mask
   • Await help
   • Contact the MOHW at
     • 888-ONE-LOVE (663-5683)
     • Or via email at covid19@moh.gov.jm or jacovid19facts@gmail.com.

The aforementioned conditions are stipulated for all vessels including aircraft and ships as per section 8 of the Quarantine Act, sanctioned by the Quarantine Authority.

The other countries, where these conditions apply include the previously announced countries – China, Iran, Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and South Korea.

extracted from: https://www.moh.gov.jm/united-kingdom-added-to-countries-with-travel-restrictions/