KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, says healthcare workers islandwide have done well in ensuring that more than 16,000 persons have recovered from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Dr Tufton, who was speaking during a COVID-19 digital briefing on Sunday, said although the high number of daily infections now being recorded has placed a strain on the public health system, medical workers must be praised “for the efforts that have gone into helping those who have had COVID-19, and now fully recovered, to resume normal activities”.

He reported that the current positivity rate is now at 36.7 per cent, equating to one in every three persons tested for the COVID-19, adding that Jamaica is managing over 18,000 cases.

The minister advised that there are 43 people with COVID-19 in the healthcare system who are classified as moderate cases, and another 33 people categorised as critically ill.

He pointed out that it is within the moderate and critical categories that “we have the greatest risk of persons dying”.

Dr Tufton also reported that a number of hospitals islandwide have exceeded their COVID-19 capacity, resulting in institutions having to accommodate patients “in less than ideal circumstances”.

This, he indicated, is the most classic indicator of a system being overwhelmed, adding that it begs for other types of actions to get persons to comply with the health protocols.