KUCHING, Feb 6: Omicron has now replaced Delta as the dominant circulating Covid-19 variant in Sarawak.
According to Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Institute of Health and Community Medicine (IHCM) director Prof Dr David Perera, the Omicron variant had a detection rate of 78 per cent from surveillance data of positive cases from Jan 3 to 26, 2022.
He revealed this in his latest report to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas today.
“A total of 58 samples were successfully sequenced over the period. Of these, 45 Omicron and 13 Delta VoGs were detected.
“The 78 per cent detection rate suggests that Omicron has replaced Delta as the dominant circulating variant in Sarawak,” he said.
Dr Perera added that the Omicron cases were detected in samples taken from Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu, Kapit, Mukah and Miri.
He said majority were of the BA.1.1 lineage but three cases of the more infectious BA. 2 lineage were identified in Kapit.
“Most of these cases had happened through community transmission,” he said.
In light of the increasing number of cases in the country, Dr Perera who is a member of the Sarawak Covid-19 Vaccine Advisory Group (SCoVAG), advised individuals who had yet to get their booster dose to do so immediately.
Studies, he said, had shown that a booster is necessary to boost waning neutralising antibody levels to protect from Omicron infection.
He also reminded the public to continue to strictly observe health standard operating procedures (SOPs) and to avoid community gatherings if possible to prevent further community spread. – DayakDaily
