THE first case of the highly transmissible Covid-19 Delta variant, also known as B1617.2, has been detected in Sarawak, the Institute of Health and Community Medicine (IHCM) of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) reported today.

The institute, which has been tracking and keeping surveillance on the SARS-COV-2 virus in the state, said the variant was detected in a sample taken from a 56-year-old Kuching man on June 18.

It also said the case has been categorised as an “import B case”, meaning the man who brought it into Sarawak had arrived from another state within Malaysia.

The institute did not disclose which state he had come from.

The Delta variant was first detected in India in December 2020.

According to the website WebMD, the variant is thought to be 43% to 90% more transmissible than previous Covid-19 variants with some experts believing it is more infectious than the Alpha variant.

The institute’s director, Dr David Perera, said scientists at the IHCM lab in Samarahan have also detected the Beta (B.1.351) and Theta (P.3) variants.

He said to date, 34 Beta cases have been detected in Kuching, three in Bau and one each in Lundu, Serian, Simunjan and Sibu.

As for the Theta variant, Perera said six cases had been detected in Kuching and seven in Kota Samarahan. There is so far only one case of the Eta variant (B.1.525) recorded.

Perera said until June 26, 59 variants of concern (VOC) and variants of interest (VOI) had been detected in the state. – July 8, 2021.