Trinidadian health authorities say that one case of the COVID-19 Delta variant recorded was someone who travelled from Guyana but the Ministry of Health here has not been able to confirm cases of any variants through testing.
The Trinidad Ministry of Health disclosed on Wednesday that two additional cases of the COVID-19 delta variant were confirmed, taking their total up to five. That fifth patient was an individual who had returned to Trinidad from Guyana.
When Stabroek News asked Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony on the sidelines of an event whether local health authorities had received any notifications about the issue, he stated that he had only seen what was reported in the media earlier but they plan to investigate.
“We will investigate it, but as I’ve said before we’re working on the clinical assumption that we have the various variants here, the treatment and the things that you have to do would not change,” Anthony said. It should be noted that Guyana has only done genetic sequencing once as samples were sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), and when those samples were returned earlier this year it showed that no other variants were found from those samples. Authorities here have yet to send another batch of samples for sequencing.
Therefore when the minister was asked what was being done concerning the genetic sequencing of samples, he responded that it doesn’t make much of a difference whether that is done as it would only confirm whether the variant is present here.
“It doesn’t make much of a difference, all that will tell us it would probably confirm that yes we do have Delta but then what else, nothing else.”
He explained that they have been trying to work with agencies to see whether they can do sequencing, but this he says, does not matter once the right thing is done by having persons inoculated and observing the regular safety measures.
Given his response, members of the media inquired as to whether this means no genetic sequencing of samples will be done, to which he added, “No, that’s not what I’m saying, once we can make those arrangements we will try to test, but if you’re working on the assumptions that you have those variants you just have to keep working and making sure that you protect people.”
Anthony iterated that the ministry will continue to work along with CARPHA and trying to get samples to them for testing. One reporter however pointed out that this has been the minister’s tune for quite some time and inquired whether there were any other issues stopping the local health authorities from sending samples. Anthony then said that there is no issue with payment or any other issue stopping them from sending samples.
