Guyana does not have the capability to test for any new strain of the novel coronavirus.
Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony yesterday made this disclosure during a COVID-19 update where he stated that with new strains of the virus being discovered in other countries, Guyana does not have the capability to test for those.
This came as it was reported that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, was possibly re-infected with COVID-19 and in other countries, persons who became re-infected were infected with a new strain of the virus.
The minister during the update explained that the viruses mutate over time and subsequently form other strains of the virus. “The reason why the scientists have postulated about the reinfection is because there are different strains of viruses and so the virus over time would mutate and you can be infected with one variant and then subsequently by another variant.” He noted that many persons are of the belief that once they have been infected with the virus they cannot be infected again, however, the science does not support this.
Further, he pointed out that the authorities in Guyana would not know whether any different types or variants of the virus are circulating here. “We don’t have the capability of doing genetic testing and therefore we don’t know the types of variants that are circulating ‘cause the types of tests that you need to do are very specialised and we don’t have that capability here.”
Additionally he mentioned that the ministry has been offered assistance from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to have those tests done if the need arises and it will be facilitated through that agency.
“So it is sometimes very important to understand the variants of the virus that are circulating in the country but that would also mean that you have to get an ongoing surveillance to track what is happening, but right now we don’t have that capability” the minister said.
