St Lucia: The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs have recently received new gene sequencing results from the Caribbean Public Health Agency. The results indicate the presence of both the Omicron BA1 and BA2 Lineages. The Omicron BA2 variant is responsible for the new waves noted regionally and internationally.
Based on the data analysis, we note the upward trajectory of the 6th wave in the country. We anticipate increasing numbers over the next few weeks. The Omicron sub-variant BA2 is characterized by high transmissibility. It is expected to affect entire households, productivity in the workplaces, school absenteeism for quarantine and isolation, increased hospitalization and Respiratory Clinic numbers.
Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs share an update on the new COVID-19 cases. It stated that the country has been witnessing upward trends of the sixth wave.
As of May 8th, 2022, St Lucia has diagnosed a total of 23,778 cases in the country, with 352 active cases presently. The daily infection rate of the COVID-19 pandemic for the last seven days is 25.1 per 100 000 population per day, which represents an 88% increase from last week, with a 16% average testing positivity rate and a transmission rate of 1.9. The country has noted a total of 368 COVID-19 deaths. The country has reported ten positive COVID-19 cases admitted to the Respiratory Hospital. This past week the country continued to register cases daily, noting increases in our public health indicators.
The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs have recently received new gene sequencing results from the Caribbean Public Health Agency.
The results indicate the presence of both the Omicron BA1 and BA2 Lineages. The Omicron Variant BA1, which has been circulating since February 2022, was confirmed in 1 of the samples sequenced and 16 cases of the Omicron BA2 Variant and 1 BA2.1. All of the samples are from locals, 61% are male, and 44% of the cases are from the southern part of the island. The OmicronBA2variant is responsible for the new waves noted regionally and internationally.
