After a few days of decreased COVID-19 cases, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is reporting that cases are once again on the rise.

Speaking during a COVID-19 Conversations press briefing Thursday evening, National Epidemiologist Dr. Karen Webster-Kerr said Western Jamaica continues to be the COVID-19 hotspot.

She says St. James is the parish with the most active cases at the moment.

Hanover, Trelawny, Westmoreland, St. Ann and St. Catherine are the other hotspots.

Meantime western parishes continue to be a concern when it comes to COVID-related deaths.

Dr. Webster-Kerr says data show that Westmoreland had a total of 14 deaths, St. James 20 and Trelawny had 7.

She says based on the population of these parishes, this is a cause for concern.

The elderly population continues to be the group most impacted by the virus.   Persons aged 80 and over recorded the highest number of covid-19 related deaths.

Of the 305 cases within that age group, there were 65 deaths.  The 0-10 age group recorded the least number of deaths with only one out of the 372 cases.

Dr. Webster-Kerr also noted that men are more likely to die from COVID-19  than women.  Of the 5512 women who have contracted the virus, 105 have died, while 130 of the 4574 men who have contracted the virus have died.

90 percent of all deceased had comorbidity.

Up to Thursday, Jamaica recorded ten thousand and eighty-eight cases and 235 deaths.