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Delta variant in Caribbean- PAHO alerts

- VI awaiting samples from CARPHA to know whether Delta variant present in territory
The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) is reporting the detection of the highly contagious Delta variant in the Caribbean. Photo: Shutterstock
At a COVID-19 media briefing on June 29, 2021, PAHO Director Dr Carissa Ettiene said laboratories sequenced the variant in the neighbouring islands of Barbados, Martinique, St Martin, Guadeloupe, Aruba and Puerto Rico. Photo: CNC3
At a COVID-19 media briefing on June 29, 2021, PAHO Director Dr Carissa Ettiene said laboratories sequenced the variant in the neighbouring islands of Barbados, Martinique, St Martin, Guadeloupe, Aruba and Puerto Rico. Photo: CNC3
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad & Tobago- The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) is reporting the detection of the highly contagious Delta variant in the Caribbean.

At a COVID-19 media briefing on June 29, 2021, PAHO Director Dr Carissa Ettiene said laboratories sequenced the variant in the neighbouring islands of Barbados, Martinique, St Martin, Guadeloupe, Aruba and Puerto Rico.

It was also found in the popular travel destinations of the United States of America (USA) and Canada.

PAHO also reported detections in Mexico, French Guiana, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru.

The Delta variant is said to be 1.2 times more transmissible than other strains of COVID-19, and scientists have detected it in 95 countries.

It has become the dominant strain in the United Kingdom, where vaccine accessibility is high.

Vaccines making a difference

However, Dr Ettiene said PAHO was confident that World Health Organisation-approved vaccines work and are already preventing countless hospitalisations and deaths.

“However, no vaccine is 100 per cent effective, so there will be a few cases even among the vaccinated. And we do expect that. This is not a surprise, but still, the public health impact of vaccination is undeniable, and we are seeing it in places with high coverage as more people get vaccinated,” Ettiene said.

Dr Jairo Mendez Rico, PAHO’s advisor on emerging viral diseases, said the presence of the Delta variant in the region was linked to travellers mainly.

Rico said community transmission continues to be limited, whereas other variants are more widespread. “It is hard to predict what will be the impact of the Delta variant in our region. Variants such as Alpha, which has a high level of transmission, entered our region and they predominated just in a transient manner in some countries and were rapidly replaced by others such as Gama and Lamda, which is called the C.37,” Rico said.

However, he said countries’ public health measures should focus on decreasing transmission, regardless of the variant. These measures include the wearing of face masks, social distancing and vaccination.

Meanwhile, the Virgin Islands is awaiting samples sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago to see if the Delta variant is present in the territory.

17 Responses to “Delta variant in Caribbean- PAHO alerts”

  • HMMM (05/07/2021, 17:19) Like (20) Dislike (1) Reply
    We are waiting on yesterday's covid results
    • ready4it (05/07/2021, 18:44) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      we are looking at 400+ easy
    • @strupes (05/07/2021, 19:56) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      Nobody is answering Health phone lines this weekend so I guess they are all taking a holiday - or all off work as their department had employees that tested positive for COVID - in a HEALTH DEPARTMENT!!!
  • wow (05/07/2021, 17:58) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    Oh boy we dead now
  • Wait (05/07/2021, 18:06) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    The song will be sung in a minute. Smh
  • LALALA (05/07/2021, 18:12) Like (12) Dislike (13) Reply
    More fear mongering? I would rather deal with the flu, Delta or Covid19 than an unapproved vax, which has killed many and sickened more than many. The Covid19 has been here in the BVI for 1.4 years, they just never did large testing. The more testing you do of people residing in the BVI, the more cases you will find of Covid19. I guess a clean thousand. Get over it folks, Covid 19 has a proven survival rate of 99.8%
  • They wilfully contaminate us (05/07/2021, 18:37) Like (15) Dislike (8) Reply
    WHO is a Bill Gates Company..(They are All Evil.) All of the Most Enfluecial Scientist Politicians and the Nrws media are on Bill Gates payroll. Check out the "Leak Britain July long down plot paper" . They are using Virus carriers to Spread their virus, to control us....To Run us Bankrupt..The Virus already hsd a nsme even before thry know about it, comr on,. We are nit thst foolish.. Check all the caribbean Countries as they announce cruise ship arrival plans, Bam, the infestation starts, St. Kitts . BVI, all over...Open our Eyes people, They are plsnning and determined to kill us and our economies, they were after the caribbean financil services, that didnt work,,,. We have to fight back..We cant lockdown, cancel everything and throw up our hands .Thats what they want. We have to fight. Its a Good vs Evil fight and we will win.. We cant surrender if we do they will forever keep us lock down and oppressed

    Again -- Check out the " Leak Britain July lockdown plot, scheme and conspiracy paper"..
    • Fake News (06/07/2021, 06:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-variant-memo-idUSL2N2O10CV
  • pop (05/07/2021, 18:45) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    Wy they staying so late with the results now. Look like they have backlog
  • Smith (05/07/2021, 21:28) Like (8) Dislike (4) Reply
    Making arrangements with Davis Funeral Home for my burial. I'm not taking any vaccine. Will be by Davis Funeral Home tomorrow. For those of us who don't decide on being vaccinated. I'll relay the burial cost in a blog here so you too can make your home going plans.
    • Jason (06/07/2021, 01:04) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
      Please let me know the burial cost. If I don't have enough in my account to cover the cost. I'll go take my first dose of the vaccine.
    • LilyAnn (06/07/2021, 08:34) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      $800 to be cremated... let social security cover tht, dont put your family in expense.
  • wow (05/07/2021, 23:20) Like (4) Dislike (7) Reply
    “When ignorance gets started it knows no bounds”
    Yes, directed towards the Bill Gates conspiracy theory. You need your head examined!!!!
  • PSA (06/07/2021, 07:48) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    @They wilfully contaminate us, You sound real stupid with this blog, you beleave all the crap you see on You Tube.
  • @PSA (06/07/2021, 10:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    this is the reason we will always suffer, due to the lack of knowledge acceptance of truth.


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