The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says thousands of new COVID-19 cases will arise daily, thanks to the presence of the highly contagious Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus.
The CDC says the Omicron variant, the dominant strain present in the United States, is predicted to infect millions of people in the US in the upcoming months.
In the Caribbean, health care officials in Barbados are also on guard as the variant may increase infections, hospitalizations, and overburden the health care system.
According to Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anton Best, Barbados predicted the rise following modeling conducted by the University of the West Indies (UWI) and a team including the public health group.
Best, who was speaking during a virtual COVID-19 update on January 5, said the modeling implied that in a worst-case scenario with a wave lasting about six to seven weeks, Barbados could have as many as 3,500 cases per day, with a total of 91,000 infections for the period.
As the island braces for a surge in COVID-19 infections, health care officials proactively implement contingency plans for additional isolation facilities.
So far, confirmed cases of the Omicron variant have already been seen in Jamaica, Bermuda, Trinidad and Belize.
