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New COVID-19 Variant Confirmed in St. Lucia

St. Lucia health authorities have reported that it had received confirmation from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) of five cases of the United Kingdom strain of COVID-19 in the island.

It said two cases of the SARS-Co-V-2 British variant diagnosed in the country were British nationals who were diagnosed on December 17 and December 23, 2020. The other three cases are St. Lucian nationals who were also diagnosed that month.

All five cases have since made a full recovery, the Ministry said.

“This new situation further emphasizes the need for strict adherence to all protocols recommended thus far and to ensure increased vigilance at all levels where risk has been identified. The Ministry of Health and Wellness will continue monitoring the situation and recommendations will be made as needed, guided by the science to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on our population,” it added.

“We continue to monitor both the global and regional situation as we assess our risks and make recommendations. We also continue to monitor closely and use best practices implemented as we strengthen the existing national protocols.”

On December 14, 2020, the UK Public Health Agency reported a COVID-19 variant that had been in circulation from September 20, 2020, within the UK.

The Trinidad-based CARPHA had requested that positive cases with high viral loads be sent to their laboratories for gene sequencing for surveillance of this new variant of the virus in the region.

The new strain has been detected in Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Australia but the risk of importation into the Caribbean and rest of the world had rated as high due to incoming travel from the United Kingdom and Europe.

However, cases have since been confirmed in the Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.

Studies conducted in the United Kingdom on this new variant of the virus suggest that it increases the rate at which the virus spreads. This is estimated as increasing as much as up to 70 percent.

The United Kingdom has noted increased levels of transmission and spread in the areas where the variant strain has been found. However, there is no evidence at this point of more severe cases associated with the new variant or it reducing the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.

CMC

The post New COVID-19 Variant Confirmed in St. Lucia appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

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Pres. of Suriname Positive for COVID, Cabinet Members Tested

President of Suriname, Chan Santokhi has tested positive for COVID-19 while several members of his Cabinet who were in contact with him in recent days are being tested for the highly contagious virus.

In an address to the nation on Sunday, Santokhi said he was feeling strong and had no symptoms of the virus, but would remain at home on the advice of health authorities. He is in isolation at his private residence where he said he will be working for the next few days.

The government’s information service, CDS said contact tracing is underway and the process of testing everyone who had been in contact with President Santokhi should be completed by Tuesday.

So far, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, International Business & International Cooperation, Spatial Zoning and Environment and Finance and Planning have tested negative.

According to the CDS press release, the Office of the President is being disinfected and Cabinet Ministers were instructed to work from home for the next three days and encouraged not to entertain visitors. They were also advised to take necessary precautions at home until they have been tested and get a negative result.

Meantime, President Santokhi has called on residents to adhere strictly to the government’s COVID-19 measures to help prevent the spread of the virus.

There have been 7,246 confirmed COVID-19 cases recorded in Suriname since the start of the pandemic.

The death toll has reached 149. In January alone, 28 people died from the disease, making this month the deadliest since the virus was detected in Suriname in March 2020.

CMC

The post Pres. of Suriname Positive for COVID, Cabinet Members Tested appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

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Basketball City sports a new look due to upkeep project

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Basketball City in Basseterre is sporting a new look thanks to an expanded upkeep project implemented by the Department of Sports.

The interior and exterior of the premier basketball facility were repainted, while the wooden bleachers were replaced with aluminium bleachers. Nearby trees were trimmed, and other general improvement activities were carried out.

Minister of Sports, the Honourable Jonel Powell, surveyed the work at Basketball City on January 22. While there, Hon. Powell was greeted by Glenville Jeffers, President of the St. Kitts Amateur Basketball Association (SKABA). Jeffers thanked Minister Powell and the department staff for transforming the look and feel of the facility.

“I am quite pleased, and I am sure basketball players and fans will be pleased with how aesthetically clean and colourful … Basketball City looks,” said Jeffers. “It would be more appealing for people to come to Basketball City,” he added, noting that the junior teams had already begun competition, while the seniors were preparing to kick off their season shortly.

Minister Powell highlighted the positive relationship between the Department of Sports and SKABA and pledged additional support.

“This is just part of the ongoing partnership that we hope to maintain with SKABA and part of the general maintenance and upkeep programme that we want to have in the Department of Sports, not just for basketball but for all of our sporting facilities across the island,” he said.

Other improvements to be carried out at the premier basketball facility will see the resurfacing of the basketball court, replacement of the backboard and rings as well as the installation of adjustable basketball frames. The new frames will be useful in teaching the game to a younger generation as the ring can be lowered to a suitable height.

The minister said the long term plan is to build a new home for the sport.

“The ultimate goal is for us to have a proper indoor facility in St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Powell. He referred to the economic challenges that St. Kitts and Nevis and the rest of the world are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and said it would be impractical to expect progress this year.

“It is still on the table,” said Powell. “It is something that I intend to achieve as the Minister of Sport here in St. Kitts and Nevis.”

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Why Alamo Drafthouse loves the big screen

When Shelli Taylor became CEO of Alamo Drafthouse in May, Covid-19 had already forced their chain of 41 movie theaters to temporarily close. Navigating the challenges of the pandemic through her innovation and passion, she remains committed to offering movie lovers the magic of the big screen. (Visionaries is sponsored by Accenture)

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Police investigating circumstances of infant’s death

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Police are investigating the death of a six-month old infant who died on Friday, January 22.

The Police visited the JNF General Hospital on January 21, after receiving a report that an infant was brought to the Accident and Emergency Room after being left in a car for several hours.

Preliminary investigations so far have revealed that the father, who had collected the baby to take her to the nursery, returned to work that morning. Sometime after midday, he went back to the vehicle and discovered the baby was still in the back seat. He took the baby to the hospital where she was admitted and warded in the Intensive Care Unit. The infant died early the following morning.

An autopsy was performed on January 25 by Resident Pathologist, Dr. Adrian Nunez. He concluded that the cause of death was Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy due to Asphyxia as a consequence of confinement in a closed space (vehicle). Investigations into the matter are ongoing.

The post Police investigating circumstances of infant’s death appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

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Sydney Opera House lights up for Australia Day

The white sails of the Sydney Opera House have been lit up with a colourful artwork before dawn on Australia Day.

It was the first time the iconic structure has been decorated with an Indigenous artwork on January 26.

NSW artist Frances Belle-Parker, a proud Yaegl woman from Maclean on the Clarence River, created the design for the projection to represent the oldest living culture in the world.

It features colours present in the Australian landscape and coastline. The circle markings depict the 250-plus Aboriginal language groups in Australia and the linear marks represent the 200 nationalities that call Australia home.

"Our sense of belonging to the land is something that is intrinsically embedded into our being, and as First Nations people we are responsible for sharing the truth of our history," Ms Belle-Parker said.

Shortly after first light, the Aboriginal flag was raised alongside the Australian flag on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.