Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke has confirmed that Covid-19 has caused an increase in unemployment in Jamaica, with the numbers affected being in the tens of thousands.

Dr Clarke who spoke at Monday’s Jamaica House press conference, explained that the conclusions are being drawn from data provided in the number of   applications under the government’s Support Employees with Transfer of  Cash programme.

It involves the government giving cash grants to individuals who can show they lost their employment since March 10, and so far, more than 60,000 people have applied.

According to Dr Clarke, the impact spans several sectors, including airlines and the allied aviation sector which services the airlines, tourism, security companies which support the hotels and other tourism businesses.