Trinidad and Tobago confirmed 2 cases of Delta COVID-19 variant

Delta variant of coronavirus has now entered Trinidad and Tobago. The Ministry of health and wellness reported on Wednesday that two cases of the new delta variant are recorded in the country. Authorities said one of the individuals is a Trinidadian citizen who recently returned from the United States of America. The second patient is also from Trinidad, who recently returned from Mexico, transitioning through Guyana and Panama.

Officials said the persons had negative RT-PCR test results taken 72-hours prior to entering the country, however as they were unvaccinated, as per protocols, both were shifted to an isolation facility. During the seventh day of testing at the facility, both the persons tested positive and were soon shifted to a step-down facility.

The Ministry of Health, in a press briefing, said the presence of the Delta variant was confirmed through gene sequencing at the laboratory at the Facility of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies. Furthermore, the health officials reminded the public to stay vigilant and adhere to protocols. The Health Ministry also asked the people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus and safeguard themselves from the virus.

The health officials reminded people of vaccine's significance and said it lowers the risk of getting serious virus related infections while also protecting those who could not be vaccinated against the virus.

Trinidad and Tobago was recently undergoing a worse coronavirus related outbreak, with hundreds testing positive daily. The government had to impose a state of emergency followed by a lockdown and other restrictive measures.