Over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic and health officials are still to determine if mutations of the virus are present in Guyana. Despite this, the Ministry is operating on the assumption that all the variants exist. This was disclosed by the Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony today, during his COVID-19 update.
Back in January of this year, 10 samples were sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for gene sequencing. One month later, the minister reported that no mutations were discovered. Since then, more than 20,000 persons have contracted the virus, with over 400 deaths recorded.
Two months ago, Advisor on emerging viral diseases at the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jairo Mendez-Rico, confirmed that the P.1 variant was indeed present in Guyana. Minister Anthony subsequently wrote to PAHO requesting that information. It is still unclear whether he got an official response. He later said that he was not going to rule out the possibility of P1 in the country, given Guyana’s proximity to Brazil, where the strain reportedly emerged.
Other variants have emerged around the world with the B 1.1.7 in the United Kingdom, the B.1.351 in South Africa, and B.1.617 in India. The B.1.1.7 has since been found in over 30 countries, the P1 in over 20 states, and the B.1.617 in more than six nations.
Minister Anthony said that his ministry will continue to work with CARPHA to get more sequencing done. He added that other institutions that can do such tests will also be engaged. He said that regardless of the existence of variants here, citizens will still have to abide by the measures and to get vaccinated.
“We are assuming that we have all the variants here, and because of that, people have to take seriously these public health measures that we are advocating,” he said.
