Kingston, St Catherine, Trelawny to get more COVID-19 beds

Additional coronavirus (COVID-19) beds are to be provided by the Government for the parishes of Kingston, St Catherine and Trelawny.

Speaking at a virtual press conference on Thursday, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton, said the additional spaces numbering over 130, would be added shortly, bringing the number of beds for COVID-19 patients to 495.

Tufton said the provision of more beds is critical, as the occupancy rate at hospitals for COVID-19 patients now stands at 85.4 per cent. The country recently reported an increase in the daily confirmed COVID-19 cases.

“We have 362 beds now, at an 85 per cent capacity. We are adding … over the next few weeks, 133 [beds], so that would be the 72 from the two built-out permanent structures, the 21 additional at St Joseph’s and the 40 from the field hospital donated by the US Government… so we would ultimately have some 495 COVID beds, which would represent a 35 per cent or so increase,” he said.

The permanent structures are located at the St Joseph’s Hospital in Kingston and the Falmouth General Public Hospital in Trelawny.

“Five months ago, we broke ground for those two facilities and within that five-month period, they were able to build out two facilities. I visited St Joseph’s and that facility is a real first-class facility,” the minister said.

“I was very impressed because we now have that 36-bed facility that would add to the bed count for COVID patients, equipped with all the necessary infrastructure for oxygen and ventilators,” he added.

FIELD HOSPITAL RELOCATION

He further disclosed that the field hospital, which was donated by the US Government, will be relocated to the Spanish Town Hospital.

Tufton urged Jamaicans to be more responsible and adhere to the guidelines that have been established by the Government to minimise the spread of the virus.

“We are concerned, but we are not panicking. We need you to be responsible because irresponsible behaviour cannot be accommodated, but we have made provisions and, therefore, are able to deal with additional capacity or requirement on the system,” he said.