Covid-19: 76 more Delta variant cases detected in Sarawak, majority in Kuching, says Unimas’ IHCM

KUCHING, July 21 — Another 76 new cases of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) have been detected in Sarawak, said Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas)’s Institute of Health and Community Medicine (IHCM) director Prof Dr David Perera.

According to him, they were detected in its ongoing tracking and surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the state.

“Samples from positive cases were tested between June 7 and July 13, recently.

“The majority of the cases, at 52, were detected in Kuching,” he said in his latest statement to the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah here today.

Dr Perera said they were identified in samples taken from Hospital Sentosa, Satok Police Station and multiple other locations in Kuching.

“Additionally, this variant had also been detected in Serian at 11 cases, Samarahan (three), Sri Aman (five) and one case each in Sibu, Miri and Betong.

“We had also detected one each under ‘Import A’ and ‘Import B’ categories .” he said.

On July 14, State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the Health Department has been directed to thoroughly investigate Covid-19 cases under the Sentosa 2 Cluster for fear of the presence of the Delta variant.

In a previous report, Dr Perera had said it could take up to four weeks to complete tests for the Delta variant.

The institute has been tasked by SDMC to track Covid-19 variants circulating in the state.

It was reported on July 4, a total of 17 Delta variant cases had been recorded in Kuching, with the first case detected on June 18.

The Delta variant was first detected in India.

It has outpaced other variants in both the United Kingdom and United States, where a high vaccination percentage has been achieved among their adult populations.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was recently quoted as saying Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus is at least two times more transmissible, being able to infect the next person within 15 seconds. — Borneo Post Online