Western and northern parishes continue to record an increase in COVID -19 cases.   Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor Mckenzie gave a break-down of the figures during a covid conversations press briefing Thursday evening.

She said Westmoreland, St. James, Hanover and Trelawny have seen a spike in cases for the last two weeks. Up to Thursday St. James recorded a total of 968 cases since the outbreak, Westmoreland, 283, Trelawny 196 and Hanover 167.

Greater Montego Bay, Bogue, Salt Spring and Paradise in St. James and Falmouth and Martha Brae in Trelawny are among the top 20 communities in the country with active cases.

The parishes with the highest number of cases are Kingston St. Andrew and St. Catherine. Dr. Bisasor Mckenzie is urging residents, especially in western Jamaica to take special precautions, particularly as the Christmas season approaches.