KUCHING: There is a need for scientists and universities to study the difference in various types of Covid-19 strains currently present in Sarawak, said Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
In explaining this, Dr Sim said the existing strains in the state differed from those detected during the early days of the pandemic, according to genetic sequencing research conducted by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).
He added that studies on these Covid-19 strains might explain why 40 percent of those infected in the state had developed symptoms compared to 20 percent in total for worldwide symptomatic infections.
“The current strains are totally different from the strain detected in March and April of last year.
“The strain that was detected last year originated from China. The one that was discovered through genetic sequencing by Unimas on patients from the Stutong Cluster and the Keranji Cluster this year shows genetic components from Indonesia and the United Kingdom (UK),” he revealed.
Dr Sim revealed that the detection of the strain proved that the outbreak in Kuching late last year had originated from Indonesia.
He said this during a Facebook Live session with Sibu Municipal Council chairman Clarence Ting on Monday (Feb 8).
On local infection cases in Sibu, he explained that genetic sequencing revealed that the Covid-19 strains were similar to those found in West Malaysia with some UK variants.
However, the UK variant detected was not of the latest mutation from the UK which was said to be more contagious.
“There are no particular mutations from the UK variants but there are differences.
“It is constantly mutating. Genetic sequencing shows that the strain in Sibu is from the UK variant. However, it is not the latest mutation of the variant,” said Dr Sim, adding that the clinical consequences of the variant in the mutation were unknown yet.
