MIRI – The P.3 variant of Covid-19 has been detected in Sarawak, pushing up the state’s pandemic alert.
State Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and the Sarawak Covid-19 Vaccination Assistance Group detected the strain in their genetics survey carried out last week.
“The P.3 variant was first discovered in the Philippines. Then, it underwent double mutations into the South African variant and UK variant.
“This has placed state authorities on high alert. Sarawakians must be more vigilant than ever before with the emergence of the P.3 variant,” said Dr Sim, who is also a heart surgeon and adviser to the state Disaster Management Committee (DMC), in his updates on the coronavirus situation today.
Yesterday, Unimas’ Institute of Health and Community Medicine (IHCM) said the P.3 variant was found in four samples from Kuching and four from Samarahan.
“These mutations have been associated with immune-escape from both vaccine-induced and natural infection protection, and greater transmissibility,” said IHCM director Prof Dr David Perera.
As of yesterday, Sarawak had a virus death toll of 178 and some 31,000 infections.
On April 17, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii shared that people in the state who have undergone Covid-19 screening returned a positive rate of 8.11% – much higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) average of 5%.
He said the figures were obtained from state health authorities.
“Based on the limited data available now, it was found that 639,767 people throughout Sarawak have undergone Covid-19 screening so far (as of early April). The positive rate of Covid-19 (infection) among these people is 8.11%. That is much higher than the 5% considered by WHO as an acceptable figure.”
He questioned the state DMC’s decision not to impose the movement control order on Kuching, Sibu, Miri, Bintulu and Meradong as recommended by the National Security Council.
Sarawak health authorities have found three variants of Covid-19 in the state so far.
On April 15, state Health Department director Dr Chin Zin Hing said the discoveries followed investigations into infected people.
“Lab tests done by Unimas teams found that the current wave of Covid-19 in the state carries three variants.
“The current vaccines are effective against these three variants. We have yet to find the South African strain here.” – The Vibes, May 1, 2021
