The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is no need to restrict travel or trade with Jamaica, despite an outbreak of malaria in some sections of the island since late last year.

The WHO statement, posted on its website on Friday, is good news for the authorities here, who maintained lingering fears that the outbreak could effect tourism, including travel for the Cricket World Cup, despite its insistence that the disease has been contained.

"WHO does not recommend any special restrictions to travel or trade to or from Jamaica," the United Nations agency said.

Just over 280 cases of malaria have been reported since the first one last November, with the latest being three identified last week in the south-western parish of St Elizabeth. The bulk of the cases have been in the capital's western belt, with a handful also reported in the parishes of St. Catherine, St. Thomas and Clarendon. There have been no reported deaths from malaria.

"Jamaica is a non-endemic country for malaria," the WHO said. "The occurrence of this outbreak highlights the importance of conducting surveillance in countries that are non-endemic to malaria."

The WHO, which is providing technical assistance to the Jamaican authorities in fighting the disease, said that the outbreak was "subsiding and an interruption in transmission is expected soon".

"However, the Ministry of Health plans to continue intense surveillance activities," the organisation said.