COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica

The COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica is part of an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed in Jamaica in 10 March 2020. It happened at the same time as the ongoing dengue fever epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Background
On 12 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a new coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness on 31 December 2019. 

Unlike SARS outbreak of 2003, the case fatality ratio for COVID-19  has been much lower, but the transmission has been greater, with a significant total death toll.

Responses
The government announced a travel ban between China and Jamaica. All people entering Jamaica from China were quarantined for at least 14 days, and anyone who was allowed to land and showed symptoms of the virus was put in immediate isolation. 

On 12 March, Prime Minister Andrew Holness ordered all primary and secondary schools closed for 14 days.

References

Category:2020s in Jamaica
Jamaica