COVID alarm as more positive pregnant women being hospitalised
The Health Ministry is reporting that more COVID positive pregnant women are now being hospitalised with respiratory problems than at any other point since the pandemic began in 2020.
According to data from the ministry, as of January 17, some 20 pregnant women were hospitalised, up from around five at the start of the year.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie said these persons are in late-stage pregnancy, with a few admitted even after delivery.
"This is not good because what we have seen is that persons at this particular time in pregnancy tend to develop severe COVID," said Bisasor McKenzie.
In the meantime, McKenzie said there is also a new worrying increase in the hospitalisation of children now posing a challenge on paediatric wards in hospitals across Jamaica.
Up to January 17, more than 35 children were hospitalised with the virus, up from 20 on January 3.
Bisasor-McKenzie said the issue of vaccine hesitancy is still a challenge for health officials.
"Between ninety-five and ninety-eight percept centres that are being admitted for COVID are unvaccinated," she said.
The ministry says of the 2,024 COVID related deaths, 98.5 per cent, or 1,993, were among unvaccinated Jamaicans.
Fourteen or 0.7 per cent were partially vaccinated, and 17 or 0.8 per cent were fully vaccinated.
0 Comment