Just when everybody felt COVID was behind us, the Medical Officer for the parish of St Thomas issued a Mask Advisory–encouraging residents to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to the Medical Officer of Health for St Thomas, Dr. D’Oyen Smith, there are 37 active COVID-19 cases in the parish, including seven hospitalized people.
“COVID-19 remains a priority for us. I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone with health issues to ensure we wear our masks,” he said.
Medical Officer of Health for St Thomas, Dr. D’Oyen Smith
Dr. Smith spoke at Thursday’s meeting of the St Thomas Municipal Corporation.
He disclosed that only 16.5 percent of residents in the parish had gotten vaccinated against the virus and reminded unvaccinated residents that the Morant Bay Health Centre offers vaccination on Tuesdays.
Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton used the bully pulpit at this week’s House of Representatives sitting and urged vulnerable citizens to wear masks as COVID-19 positivity rates increased.
Tufton noted that vulnerable persons, such as the elderly and those with comorbid illnesses, should adhere to regular handwashing and sanitizing, wearing a mask, and covering the mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing in public spaces.
St Catherine man accused of sexually assaulting 12-year-old child granted bail.
A St Catherine man who allegedly sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl appeared in St Catherine Parish Court on Friday, July 14, 2023, and the court granted him a bond of $700,000.
The court identified the accused as Mark Robinson, age 40, a Gregory Park, St Catherine graphic designer.
The presiding Judge, Jacqueline Wilcott, granted the accused bail with strict reporting conditions.
- Robinson must not visit the Gregory Park community or contact the complainant or witnesses in the case.
- Robinson must surrender all travel documents and report to the Old Harbour Bay Police three times weekly.
The court adjourned the matter until September 12, 2023.
The police charged Robinson with having sexual intercourse with a person under 16 years old, sexual grooming of a child, and grievous sexual assault stemming from an incident that allegedly happened in April 2023.
The child’s parents had reported the violation to the Centre for Investigations of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse in Portmore. The police later arrested Robinson.