Two

communities in Jamaica have been placed under special two-week curfew due to an

increase in coronavirus cases.

The areas

of Rae Town in Kingston and Cornwall Courts in St James will have been put

under stricter restrictions which began Friday, October 23 at 6:00 PM and will

last until Friday, November 6, 2020 at 5:00 AM.

Only

essential workers with identification will be allowed to enter or exit, during

the restricted hours, says the Health ministry.

What’s

more, the gathering limit is reduced to no more than six (6) persons in any public

place, down from the island-wide mandate of 15.

All the

other existing restrictions such as mask wearing and physical distancing will

be strictly enforced.

The ministry

says the special measure is to restrict movement of persons to slow or prevent

new exposures and new infections. “There is also concern for the high

population density of the two areas identified and the high vulnerability of persons

within the areas to severe illness due to age, comorbidities and other

socio-economic factors,” said a statement from the ministry.

Additional testing; the close monitoring of residents

for development of symptoms; early containment of newly detected cases and a

sensitisation drive will also be implemented.