The detection of the variants were confirmed by the Institute of Health and Community Medicine (IHCM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) today.
KUCHING (July 8): Sarawak has detected its first Covid-19 positive case involving the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), said the Institute of Health and Community Medicine (IHCM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) today.
The case, detected on June 18, involved a 56-year-old man from Kuching, said the IHCM of Unimas in a statement.
It is classified as an Import B case, meaning imported from other states in the country.
“Besides this variant, positive cases involving the Beta (B.1.351) and the Theta (P.3) variants have also been detected,” pointed out the statement.
IHMC director Prof Dr David Perera said the detection was the result of Unimas’ ongoing tracking and surveillance of the SARS-COV-2 variants in the state.
According to him, a cumulative total of 59 cases involving Variant of Concern (VOC) and the Variant of Interest (VOI) had been detected in positive cases up to June 26.
The Delta variant was first detected in India while the Beta was first detected in South Africa and the Theta in the Philippines.
Dr David said for the Beta, there had been 34 cases detected in Kuching, three in Bau and one each in Lundu, Serian, Simunjan and Sibu.
He said there were three other cases categorised as Import B under the same variant.
He added that for the Theta variant, six cases had been detected in Kuching and seven in Kota Samarahan, and one for the Eta (B.1.525) which was an Import A (imported from overseas) case.