THE 10 samples of COVID-19 that were sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in Trinidad, for genomic sequencing in order to identify whether these samples are newer variants of the coronavirus are not COVID-19 variants, Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony has reported.

The minister made the announcement during his daily COVID-19 update with the Department of Public Information (DPI), on Thursday. Since the beginning of this year, there have been concerns that newer, more transmissible (easily spread) variants had been imported to Guyana. Samples that seemed ‘abnormal’ were sent to CARPHA for testing at the end of January.

“Last night, CARPHA informed us that the 10 samples we sent to them — they were able to complete the gene sequencing — and they haven’t found any of the new variants that are currently talked about,” Dr. Anthony said.

CARPHA in collaboration with a team from the University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus has been engaging in a type of genetic analysis, called genomic sequencing, to determine whether COVID-19 samples are the ‘normal’ strain or variants.

A new variant of COVID-19 was discovered in the UK late last year, after genomic sequencing was conducted on a number of samples. This variant is reportedly more transmissible but it does not seem to be more deadly.

The UK variant, called the B117, prompted many countries to institute bans on persons travelling from that country. In the Caribbean, Jamaica was among the few countries to institute such a ban but that country has since recorded four cases of the UK variant. Last month, CARPHA’s genomic sequencing revealed that one case of the UK variant was imported in Trinidad.

Variants have also been detected in South Africa and in Guyana’s southern neighbour, Brazil. The Brazilian variant has been particularly concerning given the proximity of that country to Guyana and the porous border between the two countries. Travel between the two countries has been restricted.

Though CARPHA’s sequencing indicated that those 10 samples were not variants of COVID-19; that does not definitively mean that there are no variants already in Guyana. It means that Guyana has not yet been able to identify whether those variants are here.

Nevertheless, the Health Ministry will be sending more samples to CARPHA for similar genetic analyses and partnerships that would allow for genetic sequencing elsewhere are being explored.

“That does not mean that we have to decrease our vigilance, we have to continue taking samples and sending them out just to get a sense of what is circulating here in Guyana,” Dr. Anthony emphasised on Thursday.