ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) – Grenada’s Ministry of Health on Thursday confirmed that three COVID-19 cases recorded in the country recently were the Delta variant, marking the first confirmed cases of the deadly variant in the eastern Caribbean island.

The three cases involve a 48-year-old male returning national and two non-nationals – a 33-year-old female and a 34-year-old male – who arrived in the island from the United States last month. One of the three people was vaccinated, the ministry said.

Their results came from samples that were collected on July 26 from arriving passengers from the United States and sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for testing.

“This is the first confirmation that we have had of this variant here in Grenada,” said Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shawn Charles who confirmed receipt of the test results from CARPHA on Thursday morning.

He disclosed that two of the cases have already been medically cleared and the third is expected to be cleared soon.

Charles added that no secondary infections connected to the three cases have been identified to date, but stressed that compliance with the COVID-19 protocols is a critical factor in the fight against the spread of the virus.

The Acting Chief Medical Officer stated, “What matters in large part is human behaviour. Is the population inclined to adhere to the protocols, wearing face masks, avoiding crowded settings and sanitizing regularly? Another key consideration is the attitude to vaccination, are people utilizing the option to protect themselves against this deadly disease? At the end of the day, we can provide advice as health professionals but it is really the level of compliance and vaccine uptake that will determine our continued success in the fight against COVID-19.”

He stressed the need for citizens to take the advice of authorities seriously, as the Delta variant decimated India earlier this year, killing thousands of people.

“We know for a fact that this variant is far more contagious and deadly. Therefore, armed with this knowledge, the population ought to be keen to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones. Having not experienced any serious outbreak of COVID-19 here, if the Delta strain enters the population, the impact can be quite concerning,” Charles said.

Prior to Thursday’s confirmation of the Delta cases, Grenada had recorded three cases of the Alpha variant, which was predominant in the United Kingdom.

To date, 182 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Grenada, and at present, there are 10 active cases.