Foreign Property News | Posted by Aye Myat Thu
Malaysia has detected a mutation of the Sars-CoV-2 — the virus causing the Covid-19 pandemic — that is 10 times more infectious than the original Wuhan strain.
Called D614G, this mutation was detected in samples taken from three cases linked to the Sivagangga cluster, and one from the Ulu Tiram Cluster.
Compared to other strains, D614G produces more viral copies in the respiratory tract and spreads more efficiently from person to person.
D614G, otherwise known as the "G" mutation, first appeared in January and has since become the dominant strain, usurping the original "L" and "S" variants.
In a Facebook post, Malaysian Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said the D614G mutation was first detected in July, and studies would likely reveal that any existing vaccine is ineffective against the mutation.
"It was found to be 10 times likely to infect other individuals and easier to spread by super-spreader individuals," he said.
"So far, these two clusters are under control due to various public health controls in the field.
"Nonetheless, the public must stay vigilant and careful as Covid-19 with the D614G mutation has been detected in Malaysia.
"Continue to take preventive measures and adhere to the standard operating procedures as stipulated, such as physical distancing, self-hygiene practices, and wear a mask when in public places," he said.
The test on the samples was conducted by Malaysia's Institute of Medical Research.
Dr Noor Hisham said the test was a preliminary one, and that there are several follow-up tests being conducted on other cases.
He stressed that the Covid-19 situation in the country is under control and that the Health Ministry, along with other agencies, are still making efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
"Cooperation from the public is very much needed, so that we can jointly curb the transmission of Covid-19 infection from all types of mutations," he added.
Ref: The Star
