Delta variant likely in four Parliament cases, says health DG

 

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah says it is “most likely a Delta variant” in four Covid-19 cases at Parliament House.

PETALING JAYA: Four cases of Covid-19 infections at Parliament House are most likely from the Delta variant, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.

He said the Institute for Medical Research had carried out tests on four samples from a screening carried out at Parliament House last week.

“All four samples showed mutations in protein spikes that were identified as Delta variants or Kappa variants. However, based on the variant of concern that is spreading in the community, it is most likely a Delta variant,” he said in a Facebook posting.

He said whole genomic sequencing will be carried out for further verification.

The Delta variant is reported to have a virus content 1,200 times higher than the normal Covid-19 virus.

Earlier today Noor Hisham had suggested that all parliamentary meetings be suspended for two weeks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infections in the building. Nine Covid-19 positive cases have been reported, of which five had very high infection rates. - FMT