Jamaica’s hospitals continue to come under intense pressure.

This as the number of persons hospitalized with Covid-19 has surpassed the 500 mark.

The number of Covid deaths has also increased by 15.

The Health Ministry says 540 persons are hospitalized with the virus, among them, 50 are severely ill, 11 are critically ill and 84 are moderately ill.

Meantime, 15 more persons have died from the virus.

The deceased are 6 females and 9 males. They range in age from 39 to 96 years.

Ten lived in St. Catherine, 4 in Kingston and St. Andrew and 1 in St. Thomas. The death toll is now 2,551.

There was 1 coincidental death.

Meantime, 209 more persons have recovered from the virus, pushing the tally to 67,481.

The ministry is also reporting 1,548 new cases.

The country’s case count is now 114,986.

Of the new cases 971 are females and 577 are males. They range in age from 15 days to 97 years.

All parishes recorded new cases.

Kingston and St. Andrew recorded the highest with 545, followed by St. Catherine with 262.

The positivity rate is 51.5 per cent.