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The first case of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus has been identified in Suriname. The Surinamese government has just announced this.
This first Surinamese case concerns a 7-year-old child who had returned from a holiday from the Netherlands on 9 July. The father had been ill in the Netherlands and had tested positive there. Three days after arrival in Suriname, the child showed symptoms and was examined. A swab was taken for a corona PCR test.
Given her recent visit to the Netherlands, her positive sample was placed with the surveillance samples for further research on corona variants. The child’s other family members have also been examined and none of them have been found to have the coronavirus. So there are no signs of further contamination. Due to good isolation and quarantine of the housemates and contacts, it has therefore remained with this patient.
In Suriname we can only determine whether or not someone has corona. Special research is needed to determine which variant of the coronavirus is involved. The Dutch laboratory of the Erasmus University in Rotterdam helps with this and does this free of charge for Suriname.
This Saturday another selection will be sent for the weeks of 11, 18 and 25 July, including a number of cases from this week. The samples are selected according to WHO criteria with extra attention to cases that just come from abroad, seriously ill fully vaccinated people or seriously ill children.
The Ministry of Health once again emphasizes the benefits and necessity of vaccinating against Covid-19. With the presence of the Delta variant in Suriname, it is now highly recommended to vaccinate and adhere to all preventive measures to prevent serious disease and prevent its spread.
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