St Vincent and the Grenadines confirms 1st case of JN.1 Covid-19 variant

The Medical Office of Health, Dr Roger Duncan, on Saturday, reported that St Vincent and the Grenadines had recorded the first case of the JN.1 Covid-19 variant.

He said that there was a confirmation of the presence of this variant after samples were forwarded to the CARPHA - Caribbean Public Health Agency.

The Medical Office said that he received the confirmation of the JN.1 case in a sample, which was delivered to CARPHA for checking as early as a week ago.

He urged the citizens of St Vincent and the Grenadines that if an individual is feeling unwell, it is imperative that they should not go to work, take the bus, visit the grocery store or even go to the church to sing, clap or yell.

Duncan suggested that instead, that person should stay at home and refrain from doing any of such activities, and he also asked the parents that if their children are not feeling well, they should not be sent to school.

While explaining it, he said that the JN.1 variant is not a novel one but it is only a mutation of COVID-19 which started to impact St Vincent and the Grenadines for the first time in 2020.

He added that it has been trying to make itself more transmissible and has been changing its antigenic properties. Medical Officer also said that this implies that the virus is going to live longer and survive better if it can be transmitted easily from one individual to another.

In addition to this, persons who may be at higher risk, including children and elderly and those who already have a pre-existing disease, were asked by Duncan to take caution as they may experience more serious symptoms.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation said that severe cases are still characterised by chest pain, shortness of breath, pale skin or lips. But on the whole, Covid symptoms are much milder than they were early during the pandemic.