KINGSTOWN – St Vincent and the Grenadines said five cases of the latest strain of the coronavirus (COVID-19) had been detected in the territory.
The National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) said in a statement that the five cases of the Mu variant were detected following a review of sequencing results for samples sent to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
Authorities said the five cases were detected between July 19 and August 9, and “all cases were detected within the community as contacts of other positive cases and from persons seeking healthcare”.
They also warned the Mu variant is more transmissible and able to escape the immune response making it more dangerous.
“In view of the confirmed presence of the Mu variant of interest in the community and the increased risk of infection and subsequent transmission of COVID-19 posed by the growing incidence of variants of concern in persons entering SVG, strict compliance with all protocols and recommendations is strongly recommended,” NEMO said. “These include the effective use of masks, physical distancing, hand sanitising and immunization with available vaccines.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) named the variant B.1.621, Mu, a variant of interest, describing it as one that has genetic differences to the other known variants, and it is causing infections in multiple countries.
Mu is the fifth “variant of interest” to be monitored by WHO since March last year.
The WHO weekly COVID-19 bulletin stated this variant of interest “has a constellation of mutations” that may make it less susceptible to vaccines and immunity from natural infections.
NEMO also reported that there had been four new cases of COVID-19 from 36 samples processed on Monday, resulting in a positivity rate of 11.1 per cent.
The emergency management agency said five new recoveries were noted over the reporting period and 65 cases are currently active, while 12 people with COVID-19 have died.
SVG has recorded 2,389 cases of COVID-19 and 2,312 recoveries since March last year.
(CMC) as reported in local media today.
St Vincent and the Grenadines detects new COVID-19 variant Mu as other Caribbean nations enter lockdown
Watch “‘Mu Covid Variant’ May Be More Resistant to Vaccine and More Serious Than Delta Variant” on YouTube
St Vincent and the Grenadines has confirmed a new COVID-19 variant has been detected on the island.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness said yesterday cases of the Mu variant were detected between 19 July and 9 August and are warning the new strain is more transmittable.
In a press release the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) said that the five cases of the Mu variant were detected following a review of results for samples sent to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
NEMO said the five cases were all detected within the community as contacts of positive cases who were seeking medical attention.
“In view of the confirmed presence of the Mu variant of interest in the community and the increased risk of infection and subsequent transmission of COVID-19 posed by the growing incidence of variants of concern in persons entering St Vincent and the Grenadines, strict compliance with all protocols and recommendations is strongly recommended. These include the effective use of masks, physical distancing, hand sanitising and immunisation with available vaccines,” NEMO said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the new variant “has constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape”.
In neighbouring Grenada, COVID-19 cases continue to rise and a daily curfew has been announced for the next two weeks. In a televised address to the nation, Grenada’s Prime Minister Keith Mitchell has declared ‘no-movement days’, as well as a daily a curfew across the island everyday from 7pm to 5am.
The daily curfew will also include two upcoming weekends starting this Friday. The weekend curfew will commence on Friday, 10 September until Monday, 13 September as well as September 17 to September 20.
PM Mitchell announced those with vaccination or testing appointments will be allowed to attend. He said: “During these no-movement days, the Ministry of Health will facilitate greater access to testing and vaccination within communities. No movement will be permitted, except for purposes of testing and vaccination.”
He also announced that there would be no inter-island travel between mainland Grenada and its smaller surrounding islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique during the curfew period.
Meanwhile, soaring COVID-19 cases in Jamaica has forced US authorities to add the Caribbean country to its Level 4: Do Not Travel category. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its advice for Jamaica yesterday amid surging cases.
Yesterday, Jamaica recorded 672 new COVID-19 cases and between 12 August and 7 September and twenty deaths were recorded.
On Monday, Cuba became the first country in the world to vaccinate children from the age of two against coronavirus. Cuba is using two of its own vaccines, Soberana and Abdala, to vaccinate children between the age of two and 18.
St Lucia is currently experiencing a fourth wave of the virus and confirmed 67 new cases in the last 24 hours. St Lucia has had 118 Covid-related deaths and has recorded 9,258 total cases.
