(CMR) Jamaica continues to tighten its COVID-19 regulations after initially opening the borders on July 1 and seeing an influx of import cases into the country. The Jamaican health authorities announcement was made over the weekend and essentially means that more people will now be required to pre-test before obtaining clearance to enter Jamaica, including visitors from the United States. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Jamaica now stands at 1,113 with 395 imported cases.
All non-residents visiting Jamaica from the United States, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, which have all been designated as high-risk locations, are now required to obtain a COVID-19 PCR test prior to arrival. The new measures apply to any travelers 12 years and older, including those who are business travelers, entering the island on or after August 20. They are required to do the test within 10 days prior to their intended date of travel to Jamaica. All persons applying to enter on visitjamaica.com from the designated high-risk locations will be required to upload their COVID-19 PCR test certificate as part of the application process.
This requirement was already in effect non-residents from the states of Arizona, Florida, New York and Texas in the United States.
Visitors to the island are reminded that upon arrival in Jamaica, all persons will be subject to health screening and risk assessment by the local health authorities. All tourists will be allowed to go to their hotel under a Stay in Resilient Corridor Order from their date of entry to Jamaica. Those tested will have to stay in their rooms until their result is returned.
Visitors must report symptoms to the hotel medical station. Persons who are symptomatic or become symptomatic during quarantine will be isolated and tested. Visitors who return a negative result will remain on hotel property according to Stay in Resilient Corridor orders.
CATEGORIES OF TRAVELERS
Residents – Holders of a Jamaican Passport or non-nationals with long-term stay arrangements.
Non Residents – Applies to holders of passports from other countries.
Business Travellers – Non-residents traveling to conduct business on behalf of a company. Does NOT include other residents or non-residents traveling to conduct personal business. Does NOT include persons attending funerals or weddings.
QUARANTINE ORDERS
Home Quarantine for Returning Residents – Under this measure, persons are required to remain at home. Persons under this measure would also be required to work from home and are NOT allowed to leave their homes or hotels or to attend funerals, weddings, parties or any gatherings.
Stay in Resilient Corridor – This measure applies only to tourist visitors who are staying in the “COVID-19 Resilient Corridor” designated for tourism purposes. Under this measure, persons are required to remain within the hotel property in the corridor for the duration of their stay. They are not allowed to leave the hotel and go to another property.
Quarantine Order for Business Travellers – Under this measure, short-stay business travelers are required to remain at their intended address, whether a hotel or private home and allowed to leave only to conduct their business meeting(s). They are required to wear a mask in a public place, comply with the physical distancing rule and are not allowed to meet with persons aged 65 and over, to take public transportation or to attend any meeting, event or gathering of more than 20 persons.
On Sunday, the number of COVID-19 cases on record for Jamaica increased by seven in the last 24 hours. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases now stands at 1,113. Additionally, three more patients have been numbered among the recovered and released, bringing total recoveries to 764 (68.6% recovery rate).
Of the newly confirmed cases, three are males and four are females, with ages ranging from 16 to 51 years. Two cases have been classified as imported, having arrived from the USA in early July 2020; one is a contact of a confirmed case and the remaining four cases are currently under investigation. The new cases were recorded in St. Thomas (4), St. Catherine (1), Manchester (1) and Kingston & St. Andrew (1).
There are now 269 (24.2%) active cases under observation in Jamaica, while 66 cases have returned to their countries of origin. There are nine moderately ill patients and two who are critically ill at this time.
Some 28,209 persons of interest are quarantined at home, while four remain in quarantine at a government facility.
Jamaica now has 395 imported cases; 365 cases that are contacts of confirmed cases; 84 local transmission cases not epidemiologically linked; 236 related to the workplace cluster in St. Catherine and 33 are under investigation.
Some 610 (55%) of all confirmed cases are females and 503 (45%) are males. The ages of all confirmed cases range from 2 months to 88 years.
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