Researchers have come across a new strain of the coronavirus in Malaysia, which is said to be ten times more infectious than the present Covid -19.
The mutation called D614G was found in about three of the 45 cases in a cluster. The cluster was formed after a restaurant owner returned from India violated his 14 day home quarantine, reports said.
In a Facebook post, Director General of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the new strain was believed to be ten times more infectious. In his face book, he wrote that the mutation was spotted in three cases from a cluster that started when a restaurant owner and permanent resident returned to the country from India.
He further said noted that this was also detected in another cluster case which started with returnees from the Philippines. “The D614G mutation was found by scientists in July 2020 and will probably lead to an existing vaccine study not to include or not effective in this mutation. This mutation has now become the predominant variant in Europe and the US,” he posted.
“So far these two clusters are found quite controlled by the results of various fast-paced public health control actions in the field. This test is an early test and there are several follow-up tests in progress to test several other cases, including index cases for both these clusters. So, this means that people need to be aware and be more careful because the COVID-19 virus with this D614G mutation has been proven to be detected in Malaysia. It’s found 10 times easier to infect other individuals and spread easily if spread by the individual ‘ super spreader. This D614G mutation was found by scientists in July 2020 and will probably lead to an existing vaccine study not to include or not effective in this mutation. Therefore, our main action is still in the method of using prevention and control of public health which is disciplined in practicing the fully-set SOP which is, physical lock, high self-hygiene especially washing hands with water and soap, as well as wearing facial pelitup especially in public places, crowded places, closed places and when close chats.
The latest COVID-19 situation is found still controlled and KKM and other agencies are still working to stem the COVID-19. Community cooperation is much needed so that we can decide the contagion of COVID-19 infection from any kind of mutation,” the director posted.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said that there was no evidence that the strain was a severe one. A study in the Cell Press was also quoted in the media as saying that the mutation was unlikely to affect the efficacy of vaccines currently under development.
