Two Trinidad and Tobago nationals who recently returned to this country from Mexico and the United States have tested positive for the Delta Variant of the Covid-19 virus. 

This was confirmed by the Ministry of Health in a statement on Wednesday.

As per existing quarantine protocols, the nationals provided negative PCR tests (which were taken 72-hours prior to arrival). The nationals were immediately placed into State-supervised quarantine, as per the protocol for unvaccinated adults. As a result of the positive COVID-19 results from their 7^th day swab, the persons were subsequently transferred and isolated in a state step-down facility.

The presence of these Delta variants were confirmed via gene sequencing at the laboratory of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies. As the public is aware, this laboratory has been testing COVID-19 positive samples from Trinidad and Tobago and other CARICOM member states since September 2020.

The population is reminded that, as at the 16 July, 2021, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago updated its quarantine protocols for persons entering the country. These protocols state that all returning adults, who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, should spend fourteen (14) days in a State-supervised quarantine facility. These entry protocols will continue to be implemented.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there have been confirmed cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in 142 countries.

Research has suggested that the Delta variant is more easily spread from person to person as compared to previous variants (estimated to be 2 to 4 times more transmissible than the original Wuhan lineage of the virus).

Additionally, evidence indicates that individuals who have contracted this variant may be prone to an increased risk of severe illness and hospitalization. 

This variant may also lead to an increase in cases of COVID-19 in younger age groups and in those who have been previously infected.