BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE UK strain of the COVID-19 virus is continuing to spread in the region with St. Lucia being the latest territory to confirm the more contagious and deadly form of the virus.
Health officials this morning (Jan. 25) confirmed that the new variant has been detected in several persons as early as December, last, when the territory was seeing increasing cases.
In a media statement, the Ministry of Health disclosed that it received confirmation of the five cases of the virus from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) yesterday.
Of the five cases, the Ministry noted that two of them were British nationals who arrived on December 17 and December 23, while the remaining three are nationals of St. Lucia from the areas of Dennery, Micoud and Babonneu districts - all confirmed last month.
Currently, the new strain has been detected in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, while it has spread widely across the world with the United States, Denmark, the Netherlands and significant parts of Europe.
That new strain has forced territories, including St. Kitts and Nevis, to suspend flights from the UK until the virus is under control in London.
According to the Ministry, following a December meeting with regional and international health organisations, it was reinforced that the PCR test be the gold standard for determining positivity or negativity - this will also confirm the new strain of the virus.
Following the announcement of the presence of the new variant, the Ministry has called for the strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols as the new strain is 70 percent more contagious that the ordinary COVID-19 virus.
