From Jamaica Gleaner

Jamaica has confirmed its first case of the Coronavirus.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton made the disclosure a short while ago at a press conference at his New Kingston offices.

The female patient has been in isolation since yesterday after showing respiratory symptoms.

According to the travel history, she returned to Jamaica from the United Kingdom on March 4.

The confirmation of the case means that there are now four Caribbean countries with the virus.

The others are Dominican Republic, St Martin, and St Barts.

“We knew long ago that this day would come,” said Tufton.

“We have been able to delay and what’s important now is for us to contain and to prevent community spread,” he continued.

Chief Public Health Officer Dr Jacquiline Bissasor McKenzie told the press conference that the young female patient is in stable condition.

Bissasor McKenzie says she arrived in Jamaica to attend a funeral.

She says efforts will be made to trace all the people she may have been in contact with, noting that these people will be quarantined.

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Chief Public Health Officer Dr Jacquiline Bissasor McKenzie says the patient is in a stable condition. In the meantime, she says efforts will be made to trace all the people she may have been in contact with. These people will be quarantined.

Tufton is urging the public to remain calm, adding that the health ministry is doing all that’s necessary to respond to the emergency.

The health minister named a special advisory team to assist the ministry’s response to the coronavirus.

Travel ban expanded

Meanwhile, more travel restrictions have been imposed with the ban now applying to Spain, Germany, and France.

Travel has already been restricted to China, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, and Iran.

For more on this story and video go to; http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20200310/update-jamaica-confirms-first-case-coronavirus-travel-ban-expanded