KOTA BARU: A woman, who was previously tested positive for Covid-19, has been detected as the first Delta variant case in Kelantan.
State Local Government, Health and Housing Committee chairman Dr Izani Husin said the case was discovered in Pasir Puteh on Friday.
"So far, we have only recorded one case of Delta variant and it was from a community case in Pasir Puteh.
"What worries us is that the virus might already be in our community as it spreads very fast. If the situation is left unchecked, the virus might spread to Kota Baru and other districts.
"Therefore, the public are urged to be more cautious," he told a press conference at his office today.
Dr Izani said apart from following the standard operating procedures (SOP) strictly, locals must also avoid gathering or going to public places.
"If the woman could be re-infected, it is possible it can spread to others and as a precaution, the government through the Kelantan health department will ensure people in the state receive their vaccinations as soon as possible," he added.
So far, he said 60 per cent of the 1.2 million people in the state who were eligible for Covid-19 vaccination, have registered.
Dr Izani also said the state government was planning for all restaurant owners in Kelantan to be vaccinated.
"They are also considered frontliners and if the Federal government decides to allow dine-ins at restaurants soon, it will have to protect them from being infected," he added.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah recently said the highly transmissible Delta variant is fast becoming the dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 in the country, as the number of fresh infections continue to rise.
He said Variants of Concern (VOCs) - Delta, Beta and Alpha - continued to contribute to the spike in cases.
Dr Noor Hisham said ongoing research by the Institute of Medical Research and the Institute of Health and Community Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, have identified a total 119 cases of new variants of the virus from July 12 to 22.