We haven’t heard any reports of covid-19 for several months except reports of covid-19 cases. Surprisingly, at a press conference on Wednesday (23/12), the Malaysian Ministry of Health announced that samples collected in Sabah were suspected to have tested positive for the brand new strain of Covid-19.
The ministry’s director-general, Dr Tan-Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, said there was still no evidence of infection with the strain often known as the “A701B” mutation.
He also added that the suspected sample showed similarities to strains present in southern Africa, Australia and the Netherlands.
He said the Covid-19 virus is all the time mutating, so they’ll all the time monitor and study the impact of various strains on the population.
He added that the mutations were detected in 60 samples collected within the Benteng Lahad Datu Sabah cluster from Covid-19 patients.
The Ministry of Health and the covid-19 research team haven’t yet decided whether this breed is more infectious and more aggressive than usual.
So far, Malaysia has detected mutations which can be 10 times more infectious than normal strains.
Around August, Kedah was infected with the D614G mutation of the Covid-19 virus and the variety of infections within the state increased dramatically.
He said the ministry was tracking a Covid-19 mutation detected within the UK that is extremely contagious.
However, on account of the invention of the mutation within the UK, the federal government doesn’t plan to follow the choice to quarantine from 10 to 14 days.
They see no difference between 10 and 14 days of isolation based on the information and evidence contained within the quarantine decision.
“Usually in the primary week the person experiences symptoms.
Dr. Noor Hisham also explains from her experience that if the quarantine period is just seven days, then perhaps the danger is higher, but in our experience, 10 or 14 days doesn’t make a major difference,” she said
Foreign tourists arriving within the country proceed to be screened in accordance with the Covid-19 protocol. People who tested negative on a quarantine order and test positive can be treated at a referral hospital.
Source: straitstimes.com
