SARAWAK Housing and Local Government Minister Dr Sim Kui Hian today said the coronavirus strain detected in the state is proving to be “very infectious”.

Sim, a doctor by training and a key member of the state disaster management committee, said it was so infectious that young and healthy people who had caught the virus were showing symptoms of infection much earlier than the older cases.
 
“It is the same virus but laboratory studies have shown the virus load is very high,” Sim told reporters at the enhanced movement control order operation centre in Kg Haji Baki this morning.

Sim said a high virus load meant it would spread more quickly. 

“We have seen a lot of infected young people showing symptoms on the third to fifth day instead of the 10th to 14th day.”

On the flip side, earlier symptoms meant faster detection, he said.

He referred to the latest Covid-19 cluster in Kuching called “Green Hill” which reported 20 cases yesterday.

The names of the infected are withheld to protect their privacy but social media reports say they were children of rich parents celebrating Halloween. – October 29, 2020.