KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaican health authorities Tuesday dismissed as fake news, reports being circulated on social media here of a new variant of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Please note that this message circulating via WhatsApp and on social media is NOT from the Ministry of Health & Wellness Jamaica,” the ministry said in a post on its Twitter page.
It said further that official notices about COVID-19 can be found on its social media pages and the website.
According to the social media report, the new variant called COVID-Omicron XBB is “five times more virulent than the Delta variant and has a higher mortality rate…”
The message said also that there are no cough or fever accompanying the new variant, and listed symptoms of joint pain, headache, pain in the neck, and upper back, as well as pneumonia and a loss of appetite.
Jamaica has recorded 3, 461 deaths and 153,000 infections since the first COVID-19 case was detected more than two years ago.
The authorities have urged citizens to get booster shots to ensure that they do not contract the virus.
