ILLUSTRATION. People wearing face masks cross the street, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Singapore, July 14, 2020.
Reporter: SS. Kurniawan | Editor: SS Kurniawan
KONTAN.CO.ID – Four countries in Southeast Asia have reported a new coronavirus mutation that is more contagious than what first appeared in the city of Wuhan, China. Namely, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and most recently Myanmar.
The name of the mutated and highly contagious corona virus: D614G. Also called the “G” mutation, D614G is a variation of the original strain of the coronavirus that was first detected in Wuhan in December last year.
“Because this variant has been circulating globally, it can exist in any country,” said Dr Sebastian Maurer-Stroh, Deputy Executive Research Director of the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A * STAR).
“And, every country with active surveillance has detected it, especially in relation to imported cases from travelers,” he told Channel News Asia.
The following are four ASEAN member countries that have detected the more contagious corona virus:
Also Read: The ins and outs of D614G, the mutated corona virus are 10 times more contagious
Malaysia
New coronavirus mutations that are 10 times more contagious were detected in Malaysia. Malaysian Health Ministry Director General Noor Hisham Abdullah said the public had to be more careful, after the D614G mutation was detected.
“It was found (the coronavirus) was 10 times easier to infect others and easier to spread, if spread by a super-spreading individual,” Noor Hisham said in a statement on his Facebook page on Sunday (16/8). Channel News Asia.
These mutations were detected by the Malaysian Institute for Medical Research, as a result of isolation and culture tests in three cases from the Sivagangga cluster and one case from the Ulu Tiram cluster.
“So far, these two clusters are under control as part of the rapid public health control measures,” said Noor Hisham. “This initial test and several further tests are being conducted to test several other cases, including the index cases for the two clusters.”
Also Read: Detected in Malaysia, the corona virus has mutated to be 10 times more infectious
