REGIONAL – COVID-19 variant suspected in Martinique

SOURCE: St Lucia Times – Martinique health officials suspect that a resident may have contracted a variant of the COVID-19 virus.

As a result they are investigating the case, local reports say.

Martinique 1 Ere quotes a press release from the Regional Health Agency on Thursday as saying that the man travelled during the holiday season.

According to the press release, when he returned he had symptoms which suggested he had COVID-19.

When health officials administered the RT-PCR test, it was positive.

“The test showed a mutation of the S protein of the virus,” the Health Agency press release disclosed.

It said sequencing is underway at the National Reference Centre for Viruses and Respiratory Infections in Lyon, France, for confirmation.

Martinique health officials are conducting contact tracing and have so far isolated eight individuals.