Dr Sim: Research needed for Covid strain in Sarawak as more people have symptoms

A screenshot of the Facebook discussion. From top are Ting, Dr Sim, Ariffin and Dr Chua.

SIBU (Feb 8): Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian has called for greater research into the strain of Covid-19 in Sarawak where people are more likely to develop symptoms compared with the rest of the world.

He said in a discussion on the pandemic which was streamed live on Facebook today that the virus has continued to mutate and there was not enough understanding of how it affects people.

“…we have yet to figure out what are the consequences of the variation in the mutations. We still do not know yet what are the critical consequences.

“That may explain why in Sarawak we noticed that 40 per cent of those infected showed symptoms whereas in worldwide only 20 per cent has symptoms.

“We need scientists, universities and specialists to go conduct more research to see in what way the strains in Sarawak are different,” he said.

The discussion was hosted by Sibu Municipal Council chairman Clarence Ting and was also participated remotely by Sarawak General Hospital infectious disease specialist Dr Chua Hock Hin and Sibu Crime Prevention and Community Safety Division head DSP Ariffin Bahar.

Dr Sim also said that based on a genetic sequencing study conducted by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) showed that the Covid-19 virus in the Pasai Cluster here had similarities with the one in Peninsular Malaysia and the United Kingdom.

He said, however, that the Stutong and Keranji Clusters in Kuching had genetic components from Indonesia and the UK.

“We are so certain that the outbreak in Kuching before Christmas last year and the New Year are originally from Indonesia and some UK variant inside.

“The genetic sequencing of infection we had in March to April last year showed totally different strain now. The one that we had in March to April last year are mostly from Wuhan, China,” he explained.

Dr Sim also said that the UK variant in Stutong and Keranji clusters was not the new UK Covid-19 mutation, which is known as the ‘B.1.1.7’ mutation.

“No. They are not the particular mutation of UK. They are different mutation of UK because this virus is very smart. They keep on mutating. And now we have African strain. It is constantly mutating,” he said.

The Pasai Cluster in Sibu, which started last month, is the epicentre of the state’s worst Covid-19 outbreak since the virus hit the state last year.

The State Disaster Management Committee in its update today said the Pasai Cluster has contributed 2,363 cases to the state tally of 5,760.

The death toll from the virus in Sibu today also rose to 25 with three more deaths. The state’s total death toll now stands at 53.

The district also had the most number of new cases at 24 of the 84 cases today, bringing the district’s cumulative number of Covid cases to 2,041.

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