KUCHING, Aug 4: An additional 180 new cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant (B.1.617.2) have been detected in Sarawak from 355 positive Covid-19 cases sequenced.
According to Prof Dr David Perera of the Institute of Health and Community Medicine(IHCM) of the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), they were detected as of July 27 in the university’s ongoing tracking and surveillance of SARS-COV-2 variants circulating.
He disclosed this in his latest report to State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah here today.
The Delta variant cases were detected in Kuching, Bau, Lundu, Kota Samarahan, Simunjan, Sri Aman, Miri and Bintulu, added Dr Perera.
“In Kuching Division, we have 124 cases, eight in Lundu and five in Bau.
“This represents a Delta variant detection rate of 65 per cent, whereby 137 of Covid-19 samples were sequenced,” said Dr Perera.
In addition to the Delta variant, as of July 27, there were seven cases of what have recently been described as “Indonesian Variant of Concern” (B.1.466.2) and two cases of the Beta variant (B.1.351) detected.
He said the two Beta variant cases were detected in Kuching while four cases of the Indonesian Variant of Concern were detected in Kuching, two in Sibu and one in Bintulu.
“As such, an accumulative total of 343 Variants of Concern (VOC) or Variant Of Interest (VOI) have been detected in Sarawak from the Covid-19 positive cases recorded so far,” said Dr Perera. — DayakDaily
