T&T records seventh COVID-19 Delta variant case

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T&T has confirmed a seventh case of the COVID-19 Delta Variant of Concern.

In a release, the Ministry of Health said the patient is a recently returned national who travelled to Trinidad from Turks and Caicos (transiting through Florida).

As per existing quarantine protocols, the national provided a negative PCR test (which was taken 72-hours prior to arrival).

The national was immediately placed into state-supervised quarantine, as per the protocol for unvaccinated adults.

The ministry said as a result of the positive COVID-19 results from their seventh day swab, the person was subsequently transferred and isolated in a state step-down facility.

The patient remained in isolation until the enhanced discharge criteria for people with COVID-19 Variants of Concern was achieved.

The Ministry said the presence of the Delta variant was confirmed via gene sequencing at the laboratory of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there have been confirmed cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in 174 countries.

Research has suggested that the Delta variant is more easily spread from person to person as compared to previous variants (estimated to be 2 to 4 times more transmissible than the original Wuhan lineage of the virus).

Additionally, evidence indicates that individuals who have contracted this variant may be prone to an increased risk of severe illness and hospitalisation.

This variant may also lead to an increase in cases of COVID-19 in younger age groups and in those who have been previously infected.

The ministry also reminded the population of the importance of being vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus as soon as possible.

9 COVID deaths, 260 new cases

The Ministry of Health has recorded nine additional COVID-related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,368. There are currently 284 patients in the hospital. The Ministry has also recorded 260 new cases in the last 24 hours. This brings the total number of active cases to 3,943.