By Admin. Updated 9:40 p.m., Saturday, January 27, 2024, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has recorded its first case of the highly transmittable JN.1 Omicron Covid-19 variant.
The JN.1 is not a new virus. It is a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been mutating.
Health authorities reported the first confirmed case of the variant here on Friday (January 26), a few days after St. Lucia confirmed its first case of the variant.
During an interview aired on the State-owned National Broadcasting Corporation – NBC Radio, Medical Officer of Health in the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment – Dr. Roger Duncan said the variant was recently confirmed from samples sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency – CARPHA.
“Recently as early as a week ago, I think, we had had a confirmation of a JN.1 case in a sample that we sent to CARPHA for sequencing,” Dr. Duncan.
Dr. Duncan reminded people of the public health measures the ministry had been promoting since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
“If you’re sick, please stay home. Don’t go to work, don’t ride the bus, don’t go in the supermarket, don’t go to church singing, clapping, and shouting,” he said.
“If your children are sick. Please try and keep them home. I know it’s difficult for some people, but we have to figure out how we’re gonna keep them home. And this is important because you don’t want to go spreading the virus,” he added.
He said: Remember we spoke about people who are vulnerable and the outcomes could be worse. Wash your hands frequently”.
He said the health ministry continues to monitor viral infections such as Influenza A, Influenza B, Covid-19, and the like.
In a January 10 press release, the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment said:
“As of January 6th, 2024, there was a total of nine thousand, eight hundred and four (9,804) confirmed cases of SARS-COV2 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) since the outbreak in 2021, of which Two hundred and forty- three (243) cases were confirmed in 2023, with two (2) reported so far in 2024”.
“Influenza (flu) and COVID-19 are highly contagious viral infections of the respiratory tract that can cause severe illness with life-threatening complications, typically affecting people of all ages and can spread when an infected person coughs and or sneezes,” the health ministry said.
Some symptoms are high fever (38°C or more), dry cough, sore throat, body aches, and fatigue, the ministry said.
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