The Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment has received confirmation from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) of the delta variant strain of the SARS CoV-2 in Antigua and Barbuda.
The delta variant of concern, first identified in India in October 2020, was found in one of a group of seven samples taken in Antigua and Barbuda between May 5 and July 2 2021.
The alpha variant of concern, first identified in Antigua and Barbuda late last month, was identified in the other six samples. The delta variant is identified by multiple spike protein mutations. It is more transmissible, may cause more severe disease, hospitalizations, increased intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and death.
There is also preliminary evidence of twice the rate of hospitalization for unvaccinated persons when compared to those who are vaccinated.
The World Health Organization has so far confirmed four variants of concern circulating globally. Antigua and Barbuda has been sending samples to CARPHA for genomic sequencing to detect variants since October 2020 as part of a CARPHA/UWI project.
The Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment has also increased its surveillance for SARS CoV-2 variants at the laboratory at the Sir Lester Bird Mount St. John’s Medical Centre which now has the capacity to detectSARS CoV-2 variants. As a result of this increased surveillance we have been able to identify the alpha, beta and delta variants of concern in Antigua and Barbuda.
The public is reminded that after recording no active cases of COVID-19 for a few weeks we are now seeing an increase in the number of cases.
This reinforces the fact that we must continue to adhere to the public health measure to prevent and control the disease. These include physical and social distancing, using face masks and practicing hand hygiene and cough etiquette. The public is further reminded
that vaccination is one of the most effective measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
Persons are therefore urged to get fully vaccinated utilizing the AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccines readily available at our vaccination centres in the Multipurpose and Cultural Centre and the Villa Polyclinic.
One response to “BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL: CMO warns residents following confirmation of Delta variant in Antigua”
We have the ALPHA, BETA and DELTA VARIANTS come into Antigua and Barbuda. Clearly, the Government is not doing enough to prevent COVID19 Virus & New Variants from coming into this country.
It has been known for months now, that the DELTA VARIANT has been rampant in the United Kingdom (UK). But, this Government keeps bringing in the visitors by the plane loads. This is not the way to run a country during a pandemic. The Government is deliberately bringing the COVID19 VARIANTS in to frighten the country’s population into taking the vaccine. This strategy is wrong. This Government is not a caring government. The Government’s conduct in dealing with citizens of the country is brutal, to say the least.
Sixteen months (16) into the pandemic, and this Government has not initiated any economic measures to make the nation less reliant on the Tourism Industry. The Government has failed, miserably.
The Government is about to repeat the mistakes made before the first lockdown, as follows:
1) The Government is allowing free flow of tourists into the country, while placing restrictions on local commerce, for example:
a) Preventing unvaccinated persons from patronizing restaurants and bars. What is wrong here is that you are forcing many of these businesses to make losses, and if this happens the business will be forced to downscale, and soon close down, retrenching workers. How long does it take the Government to learn this simple business truth?
b) If the virus becomes prevalent in local communities, commuters will have to curtail, or cease riding on buses, and bus operators will soon be out of work, and even run bankrupt. How long should it take for a Government to learn, or become aware of a simple operating fact such as this.
c) If the DELTA VARIANT spread through communities, schools could not practically reopen in September, 2021. Is the Government sleeping, so it’s not aware of even this. Wake up man! Wake up! You expect to be reelected? If so, please try and get your act together very soon.
Even though a significant portion of the population is showing reluctance to vaccinate, the last thing you should do, as Government, is to deliberately bring the virus into the country, or take other punitive measures against them.
Please check yourselves before it’s too late eh.