Presence of Omicron variant likely in Guyana – Health Minister

– COVID cases surge since December 28

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony suspects that the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, may be circulating in Guyana due to an increase in cases over the past week.
He made this revelation during the Ministry’s COVID-19 update on Monday where he noted that due to the increase in cases from December 28, 2021, to January 1, 2022, there might be a chance that the Omicron variant is present in Guyana.
“On the 28 of December 2021, we saw 32 cases. By the 29 of December that went up to 87 cases, then on the 30th that jumped to 161, and by the 31st of December that went up to 182. So, we start closing [at] the end of the year with cases going up,” he said.
He further added, “On the 1st of January we saw that it went even further to 209, then yesterday (January 2), it was 284.”

He added that the active COVID-19 cases recorded in the last 24 hours is 98, which he stated is “relatively high”.
“With the way that this has rapidly progressed within the last couple of days, we suspect, from an epidemiological point of view, that we might have Omicron that is in circulation,” Dr Anthony declared.
The Omicron variant is the latest variant of the COVID-19 virus that has been circulating.
The deadly variant was discovered on November 26, 2021, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated variant B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern. It has been named Omicron on the advice of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE). This decision was based on the evidence presented to the TAG-VE that Omicron has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves; for instance: how easily it spreads, or the severity of illness it causes. Data surrounding the new strain points to higher transmissibility and reinfection. It is said to be 5.2 times more infectious than the Delta variant.
“Given the way it is spreading around the world, we would anticipate at some point that it would get to Guyana. We have mechanisms in place that when we have such suspected cases, we’ll be able to take those samples and send them to a lab that will be able to do the sequencing,” the Minster had stated on December 31, 2021.
In the daily briefing, the Minister underscored the need for persons who have yet to take their vaccines to do so as soon as possible. Dr Anthony also stressed the importance of persons who are fully vaccinated taking their booster shots as it would prove effective if they are to be infected by the Omicron variant.
With samples already sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago for the testing of the Delta variant, Dr Anthony stated that more will be sent, eventually, to test for the Omicron variant.
Currently, there are 1396 active cases and where there is an increase in all regions, some regions stand out like Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) with 112 cases, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) with 846 cases, and Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) with 236 cases.
So far, 40 persons are currently hospitalised with COVID-19, with 20 at the Ocean View facility. Six of those are in the ICU, while two are below the age of 18 years.
The Health Minister has already met with the management of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to discuss additional measures to be taken to protect both patients and staff from the Omicron variant.
In December, Dr Anthony indicated that Guyana will test for the Omicron COVID-19 variant in the country at the “appropriate time”.
Local authorities have already sent samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago to test for the Delta variant and Dr Anthony has since confirmed that this deadly strain is present here.
When asked if the Guyana Government plans on sending more samples to CARPHA to test for the presence of this variant in the country, Dr Anthony said this will be done eventually.
“We have some arrangements with CARPHA where, if necessary, we will send samples. That’s something we will evaluate and at the appropriate time we will send samples,” the Health Minister had explained.