THE Covid-19 XBB variant, which some experts believe is the most contagious strain of the virus, has not yet been detected in Sarawak, state Disaster Management Committee chairman and Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah Embas said today. 

The XBB is said to be able to trick and dodge immune cells and can enter human cells more easily to cause infection.

Uggah, disclosing the latest surveillance report from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s Institute of Health & Community Medicine director Dr David Perera, said of the 463 samples of positive cases sequenced between July 14 and September 27, the variant detected were all the B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant of concern.

“From these (the 463 samples), 402 of the samples were the BA.5 variants, three were BA.4.1, and 58 were BA.2,” Uggah said. 

Of the three BA.4.1 cases, two were detected in Kuching and one in Sibu, he added.

He also said of the 58 BA.2 variants detected, three were a sub-lineage, the BA.2.75 variant with one case detected in Kuching and the other two in Sibu. 

“As such, since our last surveillance report in July, the Omicron BA.5 has now emerged as the most dominant SARs-CoV-2 variant circulating in Sarawak. 

“It accounted for approximately 97% of the cases detected in September, “ Uggah said.

The institute has been tasked with tracking the SARS-CoV-2 variants in the state as a part of a national surveillance programme.

Dr Perera has strongly advised the public to be aware of the heightened risk of infection in the state and to get booster shots if they have not done so. – November 1, 2022.