KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has detected another 13 Covid-19 cases linked to variants of concerns – 12 with the South African variant B.1.351 and one with the Indian variant B.1.617.
This comes after a genomics study on Covid-19 samples between May 17 and 23.
The Health Ministry said the 12 cases with South African variant B.1.351 were detected in Kedah, Perlis, Selangor and Johor while the one case with the Indian variant B.1.617 (sublineage B.1.617.2) was found in Labuan.
As of today, Malaysia has 78 cases carrying the South African variant B.1.351 and six infections with the Indian variant B.1.671 (including sublineage B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2).
The ministry said the patient, who is a Malaysian, with the Indian variant B.1.617.2 was a close contact of an Indian national. Both were on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Labuan on April 23.
The Indian national tested positive while he was in quarantine. The Malaysian showed symptoms on May 3 and tested positive for Covid-19 the following day.
The ministry, meanwhile, is continuing to urge the public to observe self-lockdown for two weeks to help curb the pandemic. – The Vibes, May 25, 2021
