COVID-19: We can’t test for new delta variant – Takoradi Veterinary Laboratory

The Director of the Takoradi Veterinary Laboratory, Dr. Simon Gbene says, although they have recorded over 100 percent increment in COVID-19 positivity rate between June and July 2021, they are unable to confirm a case of the new delta variant in the Western Region.

Dr. Gbene in an interview with Citi News said the Takoradi Veterinary Laboratory currently has no capacity to do sequencing for the delta variant, hence cautioned the public not to take the rising COVID-19 situation for granted.

“For the Takoradi Veterinary Laboratory, we are not able to get the sequencing. Normally we rely on the University of Ghana to come and take samples, and they haven’t come yet to confirm whether we have the delta variant here or not. So we are only looking at the current cases we are recording, and we can say we are receiving more positive cases, but we can’t say which variant we are dealing with.”

“When the numbers keep rising, we will call them to do the sequencing. Now that it isn’t alarming, we are able to manage the situation. So they will go according to their timetable. They have a timetable where when the situation is getting out of hand, they come and take samples to do the sequencing. So for now they haven’t come because we are not overwhelmed,” he added.

The delta variant, which is currently the most contagious, is fast spreading across the world.

Reports have suggested that the variant may trigger serious illness in persons who are not yet vaccinated.

Health stakeholders have, therefore, called for strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols to avoid a spread of the highly contagious variant.

---citinewsroom