The Hanover Health Department has received the assistance of the police in its search for residents of Portmore, St Catherine, who have reportedly fled to Hanover.

The parish of St Catherine is under lockdown since yesterday after becoming the epicentre of positive coronavirus cases in the country.

The Hanover Health Department had dispatched health workers across the parish starting this morning after receiving calls Wednesday evening.

The health teams were dispatched into all health districts across Hanover, including the communities of Sandy Bay and Logwood, to search and investigate.

According to the medical officer of health for Hanover, Dr Kaushal Singh, the teams were faced with challenges in some communities.

“Among one of the areas that we (health officials) went to, the individuals who were seen at premises under consideration are denying the reports. So, we had to send them (health officials) back with the police,” Dr Singh said.