The country’s major hospitals are experiencing overcrowding and longer wait times due to a surge in persons seeking care for dengue, influenza, other viral illnesses and traumatic injuries.

The University Hospital of the West Indies, Cornwall Regional, Spanish Town, and Savanna-La-Mar public hospitals are the worst impacted, with high numbers of patients awaiting beds.

As a result, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is advising citizens to visit public hospitals only if necessary.

It says the overcrowding issue is impacting all four regional health authorities.

The Ministry notes that there are more than 150 admissions to hospital currently that are dengue related.

It says as at this morning there were more than 260 patients awaiting beds across 18 public health facilities.

While noting that hospitals always experience challenges with patients seeking care at this time of the year, the ministry noted that it has put measures in place to ease the burden on the health system.

These include extended opening hours for select health centres.