PUTRAJAYA, July 5 — A total 584 Covid-19 cases in Malaysia were found to due to new variants involving more widespread and faster as well as airborne transmission, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

According to him, the new variants were detected through several precautionary measures on the threat of the Delta variant (B1617.2) including genome sequencing following the World Health Organisation (WHO) statement that certain countries were threatened by the new variant.

“We found that there are threats of new variants in our country,” he said in a media conference on the development of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) with PICK Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, here today.

From the 584 cases recorded, 40 cases were of the Delta variant which are said to be aggressive, Beta variant (B.1.351) in 136 cases, Alpha variant (B117) in 10 cases, two cases involving B1525 variant, four cases of B161.7.14 and variants of concern (VOC) amounting to 392 cases, he said.

Dr Adham said the Ministry of Health (MOH) would be carrying out various continuous preventive and control activities among them based on the high incident rate in an area, with cases spreading fast and involving deaths.

 “We will create a genome sequence and from there we will know whether an individual got an infection from a new variant,” he said.

“It is also related to the vaccine administered. We have been informed that two doses are basic which should be implemented in the country so that immunisation and resistance against the new variants could be achieved,” said Dr Adham.

On the Covid-19 Vaccine Fund, Dr Adham said the fund has yet not to be utilised.

According to him, a total of 18.6 responses on side effects after immunisation were received through the MySejahtera application for every 1,000 doses of vaccine dispensed since the beginning of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

“Pain at the injection site, headache and fatigue are among the side effects that vaccine recipients often experienced,” he said. — Bernama