Jamaica records first COVID-19 death

Jamaica has reported its first death from COVID-19.

The patient, a 79-year-old man, is from Lionel Town, Clarendon and recently returned from New York.

He died at the isolation facility located at the Mandeville Regional Hospital in Manchester Wednesday afternoon.

Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie today told a press conference that the man presented at the Lionel Town Hospital on March 16 and was tested on March 17.

The test returned positive Wednesday, the same day of his death.

It was disclosed that he had diabetes and hypertension.

Meanwhile, Jamaica has now recorded 15 confirmed cases of the virus.

To date, six test results are outstanding.

There are 32 people in isolation and 434 being traced because the came in contact with people tested positive for the virus.