WILLEMSTAD - The Delta variant was already found on Curaçao at the end of June. That was announced by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reports today based on samples sent by the epidemiological team on Curaçao.

According to the RIVM, the variant was found in week 26 (the period between 22 and 28 June). During that period, a total of 13 people tested positive for the presence of the virus. The RIVM attributes the sudden increase in the number of cases on Curaçao in the period between July 15 and July 21 to 4 clusters. It concerns a nightlife, beach clubs, a student house, and the naval base.

Delta is the name for the B.1.617.2. variant, a SARS-CoV-2 mutation that originally surfaced in India. The first Delta case was identified in December 2020, and the strain spread rapidly, soon becoming the dominant strain of the virus in both India and then Great Britain.

The symptoms are similar to those seen with the original coronavirus strain and other variants, including a persistent cough, headache, fever, and sore throat.

According to experts the vaccines are effective against the delta variant, and though it's still possible to get infected, the vaccines dramatically reduce the risk of serious illness that leads to hospitalization or death.