COVID-19 Updates: Thursday 14 May 2020

No new COVID-19 cases in Jamaica, total remains at 509

The Ministry of Health and Wellness in Jamaica is reporting that there has been no new cases of the COVID-19 over the last 24 hours. This is the first time in 50 days that the island has recorded no new cases.

The total number of cases remain at 509.

Meanwhile, the number of recoveries rose to 118 up from 113 in the same period.

France record 351 new COVID-19 deaths

France on Thursday reported 351 new coronavirus deaths in hospitals and nursing homes as its overall toll from the pandemic hit 27,425.

The latest data did not reflect a precise picture of the last 24 hours as it included two days of deaths in nursing homes, which were not included in the toll the day earlier.

Over the last day, 123 people died in hospitals while over the last 48 hours 228 people died in nursing homes, the health ministry said.

Recent positive trends continued, with 129 fewer people in intensive care for a total of 2,299, a figure that exceeded 7,000 at the peak of the crisis.

US nears 1.5 million COVID-19 cases

The United States recorded 1,754 coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 85,813, according to the latest real-time tally Thursday reported by Johns Hopkins University.

The country — hardest hit by the pandemic in terms of the number of fatalities — has now confirmed a total of 1,416,528 cases, the Baltimore-based school reported.

St Lucia returns to all recovery of COVID-19 cases

St Lucia has returned to a 100% COVID-19 recovery rate as the last remaining ill patient has recovered from the virus.

On April 22, St Lucia first achieved full recovery status with 15 cases but then three new positive results were received.

"As of May 13, 2020, Saint Lucia has recorded a total of 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The last case has now recovered and been discharged from hospital. All eighteen cases are therefore fully recovered", said the ministry of health in a press statement.

Seven more positive cases in Cayman

The Chief Medical Officer reports a further 449 COVID-19 tests have been completed over the last 24 hours.

Of these 7 people have tested positive for COVID-19: six of these are travellers who arrived on recent evacuation flights and one is a known contact of a previously reported positive case; these people remain in isolation.

All positive and inconclusive results will be sent for cross-checking to our reference laboratory, CARPHA, along with 10% of negative cases.

LIAT extends no-fly to May 31

Regional air carrier LIAT has extended the suspension of its passenger services to May 31, 2020, due to the current border closures and travel restrictions within the regional network.

In a statement issued today, Chief Executive Officer, Julie Reifer-Jones, explained that the airline continues to monitor efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and that the further extension is necessary at this time: "While there are ongoing discussions about the reopening of borders, no firm date has been set to facilitate regional travel as yet."

Passengers booked with the airline during the extended period of suspension will automatically have their bookings cancelled and will receive full credit for future travel.

COVID-19 Guyana: Forty-one persons recovered

Forty-one persons have now recovered from COVID-19 in Guyana even as no new positive cases of the disease were recorded yesterday.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle made the announcement yesterday during the Ministry of Public Health's daily COVID-19 update. According to the update 34 more tests were conducted yesterday bringing the number of persons tested to 1,020; no new cases of the disease were recorded.

Dr. Gordon-Boyle said 41 persons have now recovered from the virus while the number of persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit has been reduced to three. Additionally, five persons are in institutional quarantine while 62 are in institutional isolation. She noted that seven of Guyana's ten administrative regions have now recorded cases of the disease.

Five of New York's 10 regions can start to reopen on Friday

A five-county section of central New York that includes Syracuse has met the criteria necessary to begin reopening some businesses on Friday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Thursday.

Central New York was the fifth upstate region where construction, manufacturing and curbside retail businesses that had been closed amid the coronavirus pandemic were being allowed to start up again, Mr. Cuomo said at his daily briefing. In a subsequent order, he said the limited reopening could proceed as of 12:01 a.m.