KUCHING, 6 Feb: The Omicron has now replaced the Delta as the dominant circulating Covid-19 variant in the state.
According to Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) director of the Institute of Health and Community Medicine (IHCM) Prof. Dr. David Perera, a detection rate of 78 per cent of the Omicron had been discovered from surveillance data of positive cases done from 3rd to 26th January, this year.
He revealled this in his latest report to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee(SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas today.
” A total of 58 samples were successfully sequenced over the period.
“Of these, 45 Omicron and 13 Delta VoGs were detected.
” The 78 per cent detect rate suggests that Omicron has replaced Delta as the dominant curculating variant in Sarawak,”
Dr. David added the Omicron cases were detected in samples taken0 from Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu, Kapit, Mukah and Miri.
He said the majority were of the BA.1.1 lineage but three cases of the more infectious BA. 2 lineage were identified in Kapit.
“Most of these cases had happened through community transmission,”he said.
In the light of the increasing number of cases in the country, Dr. David who is a member of Sarawak Covid-19 Vaccine Advisory Group( SCoVAG), advised those who had yet to get their booster dose to do so immediately.
Studies, he said, had shown that a booster is necessary to boost waning neutralising antibody levels to protect from Omicron infection.
He also reminded the people to continue to strictly observe the health standard operating procedure( SOP) and to avoid community gathering if possible to prevent further community spread.
The Institute of Health and Community Medicine from UNIMAS has been tracking the SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the state.
