On Wednesday, 21 July 2021, the Department of Health in the United States Virgin Islands confirmed in a press release that the Delta variant of COVID-19 has been identified in the Territory.
“Preliminary results showed 12 samples were not confirmed to be any of the variants that have been previously identified in the territory. Full sequencing results now show that two of the 12 samples not previously identified in the territory are confirmed to be of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2).”
Meanwhile, health officials in the USVI continue to push to get more of their residents vaccinated.
The press release also revealed that “84 samples have shown to be variants from sequencing. Of the 84 cases, 65 have been of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) which is also known as “the UK Variant.” Six samples have been B.1.526.2 (Iota) OR B.1.351 (Beta), and one sample B.1.429 (Epsilon).”
The Division of Epidemiology in the Health Department has been working with Yale University to test samples from positive COVID-19 cases.
