With the continued increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in St. Thomas, the decision has been taken to put additional communities within the parish under quarantine.
The communities are Albion and Seaforth that have seen 13 cases over the last three weeks. Many of the cases are symptomatic, which is a cause for concern and suggests that there may be ongoing transmission in the communities. Community surveillance will be carried out over the next two weeks to detect early any new cases and to implement appropriate measures to contain spread within the parish.
The quarantine period, which began at 5:00 am today (Thursday, August 20, 2020), will run for 14 days, ending September 2.
The other communities in the parish now under quarantine, namely Bamboo River, Church Corner and Lower Summit, will remain under quarantine, also until September 2.
Based on test results received, the Ministry of Health and Wellness can now report that some 107 persons have been identified as being positive for COVID-19 in the parish. Forty-five (45) of that number are within the quarantine areas.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness is reminding members of the public to strictly adhere to prescribed COVID-19 prevention and control measures, including the frequent washing of hands, maintaining a six-feet physical distance from others and wearing a mask while out in public.
It is also critical that visitors and returning residents to the island abide by quarantine orders, in the effort to slow the transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19.