2 import cases in Labuan being analysed for variants of concern

Two new Type A Covid-19 import cases detected in Labuan on Sept 7 are being analysed for variants of concern (VOC).

Type A cases are import cases involving foreigners while Type B are cases coming from outside Labuan but from within Malaysia.

Labuan health director Dr Ismuni Bohari said the two cases involved the crew of a ship whose last port of call was at a country where the Covid-19 variants of Mu and Lambda had been detected.

“We fear one of the cases could trigger high infections. We had no choice but to send the samples for analysis in the peninsula,” he told Bernama today.

Ismuni said the two cases were detected during a screening by a private healthcare team onboard the ship on Sept 6.

He said all 28 crew were asked to undergo quarantine onboard the ship.

“The cases were detected as mandatory rapid test-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) tests are enforced on ship crews entering Labuan… these were the first import A cases detected after the Delta variant attacked Labuan and led to a sudden surge in cases and daily deaths,” he said.

Ismuni said there had been five new import cases involving foreign ship crews detected on Sept 8, some of which would also be sent for analysis.

Labuan achieved an immunisation rate of 100% among its adult population on Sept 7.

It is currently in Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan, and has recorded single-digit daily cases and no deaths for the last 35 days.

The death toll in Labuan stands at 149.