KUALA LUMPUR – Seventy-six cases involving new Covid-19 variants were identified in Malaysia between July 1 and 13, of which 48 are the Beta strain.
According to Health Ministry statistics, there are 27 Delta cases and one of Theta.
Only one Beta case was imported.
Up till yesterday, there were 293 infections involving variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs).
Between July 1 and 13, Sarawak logged 37 new Beta cases, and one each of Delta and Theta, making it the state with the most fresh cases involving variants.
Selangor saw another six new variant cases – five Delta and one Beta – while Pahang saw eight Delta infections.
According to Yale Medicine, the Delta variant was first identified in India last December, spreading quickly in the country and later, the United Kingdom.
By end-June, Delta comprised more than 20% of Covid-19 cases in the United States, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The World Health Organisation has called this variant “the fastest and fittest”.
However, the statistics from Sarawak differ from the federal numbers released by the ministry.
The state figures are from the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak team tasked by the state government with conducting genomics research.
State Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said another 16 Delta cases were detected in Kuching as of July 4, bringing the state’s total infections involving the variant to 17.
“One new Beta case has been detected in Kuching, bringing the total number of Beta cases to 45, three of which were imported.”
He said Sarawak logged a total of 76 VOC and VOI cases as of July 4. – The Vibes, July 14, 2021
Additional reporting by Stephen Then
