Omicron Now Dominant Circulating Variant In Sarawak

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The Omicron variant has now replaced the Delta variant as the dominant circulating Covid-19 variant in the state, said Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Institute of Health and Community Medicine director David Perera.
In his latest report to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee chairperson Douglas Uggah Embas today, Perera revealed that the detection rate of 78 percent of the Omicron had been discovered from the surveillance data of positive cases from Jan 3 to 26, this year.
According to him, 58 samples were successfully sequenced over the period, and out of these, 45 from the Omicron and 13 Delta variants of concern were detected.
“The 78 percent detection rate suggests that Omicron has replaced Delta as the dominant circulating variant in Sarawak," Perera said, adding that the Omicron cases were detected in samples taken 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 were identified in Kapit and most of these cases occurred through community transmission.
In light of the increasing number of cases in the country, Perera who is a member of Sarawak Covid-19 Vaccine Advisory Group, advised those who have yet to get their booster dose to do so immediately.
Studies, he said, had shown that a booster shot was necessary to boost waning neutralising antibody levels to protect from Omicron infection.
He also reminded the people to continue complying strictly with the health standard operating procedure (SOP) and to avoid community gatherings if possible to prevent further spread of the virus.
Unimas has been tracking the Sars-CoV-2 variants circulating in the state.
- Bernama

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