Jamaica’s Medical Oxygen Supply Replenished – Hospitals that were dangerously low on medical oxygen over the weekend, had their supplies replenished on Monday, August 30. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the urgent demand for oxygen as hospitalizations continue to rise.

Seven hundred and twenty-three (723) patients are currently hospitalized, one hundred and ninety-two (192) are moderately ill, eighty-eight (88) severely ill and sixty-two (62) are in critical condition due to the virus.

Up to Sunday morning, all hospitals across the island were low on oxygen supply, some were out and had to be supplemented. Monday morning, bulk oxygen arrived on the island and was immediately dispatched to hospitals to alleviate the shortage.

Head of the Western Regional Health Authority, Andrade Sinclair says operations are now relatively calm following the restoration of supplies.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Southern Regional Health Authority, Wayne Chen is hoping that the supply will be enough to last for several days as the hospitals buckle under pressure.

He says the numbers are expected to increase in the coming weeks.