Bustamante hospital seeing rise in COVID-19 cases

The Bustamante Hospital for Children is seeing a growing number of admissions for COVID-19.

Some 10 clinics have had to be cancelled while hospital staff members cater to essential cases.

This was disclosed by health officials during a tour today.

Senior Medical Officer, Dr Michelle-Ann Richards-Dawson, shared that the hospital is seeing the highest number of paediatric cases, including 23 confirmed and two suspected cases, with results pending for 24 samples.

“We ask you to minimise your children's exposure to the virus where you, as parents and family members, can get vaccinated. I urge you to do so to protect those who are unable to get vaccinated because of their age,” she said in a media release today.

“We are currently in the fourth wave of the pandemic. We have been through three before but this one is different. The pace at which people are getting infected and symptomatic is alarming and therefore it is important that we vaccinate to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” Richards-Dawson added.

For his part, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, urged strict adherence to the infection prevention and control protocols and encouraged more Jamaicans to get vaccinated.

“It is absolutely critical that more Jamaicans become vaccinated and that we all wear our masks, keep our distance from others, and frequently wash and sanitise our hands,” he said.

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