TRIBUNJOGJA.COM, KUALA LUMPUR – Despite the discovery of a “super spreader” variation from Covid-19 on Malaysia cause for concern, experts believe there is no reason to sound the alarm yet.
They believe that the ability of the authorities to manage the situation, coupled with overall public compliance with applicable standard operating procedures (SOPs), will help guide Malaysia to calmer waters.
The Ministry of Health yesterday confirmed that it had detected the Covid-19 type mutation D614G in the test culture samples were taken from three cases associated with the Sivagangga cluster and one from the Ulu Tiram cluster.
Varian D614G has earned a distinct reputation for being reported to be 10 times more likely to infect other individuals and more easily spread by “super spreader” individuals, compared to the previous D614 variant.
Professor Datuk Dr Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud, an epidemiologist from the University of Malaya, said it could not be proven that the existence of mutant variants D614G will affect the severity of Covid-19 in Malaysia.
He believes it shouldn’t have much effect on public health measures for now.
“This is because the same public health measures are effective for the previous D614 variant and the current G614,” he was quoted as saying. TribunJogja.com from New Strait Times.
The original Covid-19 strain in China was dubbed D614, while the mutated version found in Britain, Italy and North America in May was called G614.
The G614 variant, said Dr Awang Bulgiba, has become the dominant variant in several countries.
“It has been reported that the G614 variant now accounts for 70 percent of the Covid-19 viruses studied.”
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