By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 17th June 2021) — The Ministry of Health has sent abroad virus samples for genomic sequencing to determine which variant of COVID-19 is present in St. Kitts-Nevis. “Last week, the Ministry of Health sent off samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency for genomic sequencing. From this information, we will find out the variant of the SARS COVID virus that is presently in circulation,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws said on ‘Leadership Matters’ on ZIZ on Tuesday 15th June 2021.
Dr. Laws reported 186 active cases as of Thursday 17th June, 185 on St. Kitts and 1 on Nevis; 251 total confirmed cases since March 2020 (236 in St. Kitts, 15 in Nevis); 20 recoveries; 13 hospitalisations of which seven had been discharged, leaving six in hospital, one with moderate COVID-19 disease. The peak single-day case count during the current wave was 32 cases on Friday 11th June. Within the four-week outbreak period from 19th May, 206 cases had been added. The contact tracing process has so far engaged 1,887 individuals, of whom 1,328 have been released from quarantine and 649 remain. Within the last four-week period, 5,633 individuals (11.9% of the population) have been tested. Vaccination coverage: 63.3% of the target population with first dose; 31% fully vaccinated — 10,255 persons now fully vaccinated in the Federation.