Regional Technical Director of the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), Dr Vitillicus Holder [left], Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton [centre] and Medical Officer of Health at SRHA, Dr Nadine Williams [right] led a discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on the older person at the Northern Caribbean University’s Main Chapel on Wednesday, September 30, 2020.

Photo Credit: Raheed Bailey

By: Suzell Wray

Manchester, Jamaica -Regional Technical Director of the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), Dr Vitillicus Holder says the health authority is currently seeing an expansion of COVID-19 community spread within its three regions.

She made the announcement during a Ministry of Health and Wellness COVID-19 Digital Conversation at the Northern Caribbean University’s (NCU) Main Chapel on Wednesday, September 30, 2020.

According to Holder the parishes within the region, which comprises Manchester, St. Elizabeth and Clarendon, are currently seeing an even distribution of COVID-19 cases.

“With the community spread, we’re seeing the movement in terms of expansion of cases within the region. When we look at Manchester, we’re seeing the cases scattered all over the parish, with a high concentration within the Central area but no area is speared in terms of the distribution of cases.”

She added that up to Tuesday, September 29, 2020, Clarendon recorded 364 cases of COVID-19, followed by Manchester with 285 and St. Elizabeth with 164.

During her overview, Dr Holder also relayed the state of hospitals in the region and their current capacity to respond to the novel coronavirus.

“In terms of dedicated COVID beds in this region, our two major hospitals in Manchester…Mandeville Regional Hospital has 22 dedicated beds, while Percy Junior Hospital has 16. May Pen Hospital currently has 26 beds, Black River has 23 beds and Lionel Town has 11 beds.”

She also shared that the death rate so far in the region has seen Manchester recording 9 deaths, St. Elizabeth recording 5 and Clarendon recording 13 deaths, with the cases, mostly being among the elderly.

The Ministry’s COVID-19 Digital Conversation focused on the impact that the virus has had on the older person, even as the country observes Senior Citizen’s Week.