BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The Ministry of Health and Wellness in Barbados has confirmed that the new and fast-spreading variant of COVID-19, the JN1 – a sub-variant of Omicron – has been detected in the country.

The health ministry said in a statement that the discovery was made as a result of the local variant testing which was done following an increase in the incidence of respiratory illness, including Influenza A and B and COVID-19.

The ministry added that although COVID-19 is no longer a disease of international public health concern, transmission of the virus has not stopped and it therefore continues to test and monitor for COVID-19 strains.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George stressed that the mask mandate has not been reintroduced, but urged the usual precautionary measures for preventing the spread of respiratory illness, particularly by vulnerable people such as the elderly, pregnant women and individuals living with chronic non-communicable diseases.