Jamaican Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton made that public announcement on Tuesday, March 10.

Dr Tufton said the patient is a Jamaican female who had travelled from the United Kingdom.

“She arrived in the island on March 4, presented to the public health system on March 9, and has been in isolation since then,” Dr Tufton said. “A clinical sample was collected and sent to the National Influenza Centre, where laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis today at approximately 11 am. The patient and family members have been informed.

Dr Tufton said the Jamaican government is now taking several steps ‘to prevent the risk of community spread’. He said these measures include the identification and contact-tracing for all possible exposed persons.

Jamaica - several of whose nationals reside in the BVI - currently has travel restrictions on multiple countries including China, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Iran, Spain, France and Germany.