The US Center of Disease Control has issued an advisory against travel to Jamaica following an increase in criminal activity.

This includes violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides.

This, according to the CDC, occurs as a result of the lack of resources given to the JCF to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents.

The CDC has advised that travelers refrain from travelling to the parishes of Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston and St. Andrew, St. James, St. Ann, St. Catherine and Westmoreland.

Other noted areas issued in the advisory includes

· Cassava Piece

· Downtown Kingston, defined as between Mountain View Avenue and Hagley Park Road, and south of Halfway Tree and Old Hope Road.

· Downtown Kingston including Arnett Gardens, Cockburn Gardens, Denham Town, Olympic Gardens, Seaview Gardens, Trench Town, and Tivoli Gardens.

· Duhaney Park

· Grants Pen

· Standpipe

· Swallowfield

· Elleston Flats

· August Town

· Canterbury

· Flankers

· Glendevon

· Mount Salem

· Norwood

· Paradise Heights

· Rose Heights.

To date, Jamaica boasts a staggering murder rate of 295. In addition, this is 15 more homicides or a 15.5 percent increase when compared with the corresponding period in 2021.

The St James Police Division leads the murder count with 53 cases, a 35.9 per cent increase compared to the 39 homicides reported in the division for the corresponding period of last year.

However, Westmoreland had the highest percentage increase in murders, with a 93.3 per cent rise.