2021News

Delta variant yet to be detected in the DR

For almost two months, the DR has been on a downward trend of cases after a spike in May. Public Health Minister Daniel Rivera urges the population continue to prevent catching Covid-19 by wearing masks, especially when inside and with people, hand washing and keeping social distance. He said being vaccinated and keeping these preventive measures is what Dominicans have at hand to prevent a spike in cases as has occurred abroad given the more aggressive variants that are in circulation.

The director of Epidemiology at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Ronald Skewes said during the Wednesday Covid-19 press conference that the government is carrying out additional tests to determine if the Delta variant is circulating here. He said that the sequencing at the Dr. Defillo Laboratory has identified Alpha variant (UK originated) and the Gamma (Brazil originated) variants. 849 samples have been sequenced from 15 July to 5 August.

Dr. Skewes says that Alpha was found circulating in Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris) and Santiago provinces. The Gamma was found circulating in La Altagracia, Santo Domingo, National District, San Cristobal, Pedernales and Santiago. The virus was found predominantly in persons 50 years or less.

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Noticias SIN

12 August 2021