KUALA LUMPUR: Health experts have suggested extending the man-datory quarantine for all returnees from Japan and South America to prevent the Covid-19 Lambda variant from reaching our shores.
Virologist Associate Professor Dr Chee Hui Yee said the Lambda variant was a consequence of seven mutations that made the strain more transmissible, with possibly higher resistance to vaccines.
"Six out of the seven mutations of the variant occurred on spike proteins and another mutation resulted in a deletion of nucleotides in the ORF1a gene of the virus.
"The deletion of nucleotides in the ORF1a gene was previously also detected in the Beta and Gamma variants.
"Consequently, the Lambda variant could be more resistant to neutralising antibodies that is produced from vaccination," she told the New Straits Times.
Therefore, as a precautionary step, Dr Chee advised that returnees from "high-risk countries", such as Japan and South American countries, to undergo a longer mandatory quarantine and take a second swab test on the last day of their quarantine period.
This, she said, was because those infected with potentially newer variants of the coronavirus were often asymptomatic while under quarantine, and might develop symptoms much later.
"For instance, I came across a case involving a man who did not develop any symptoms during his 10-day home quarantine period, but a day later, he started developing symptoms and a few of his family members contracted the virus.
"Newer variants are surfacing because the virus replicates and mutates in a different manner in different host cells.
"Some replications lead to silent mutations which are not harmful. But, some other mutations could alter the virus protein structure," she said.
Universiti Putra Malaysia consultant clinical microbiologist Professor Dr Zamberi Sekawi also echoed calls to extend the quarantine period since the incubation period for the Lambda variant was still unknown.
"The Lambda variant case in Tokyo involved a passenger who returned from Peru. But, there is no evidence yet to suggest that there has been a community spread of the variant in Tokyo.
"While some studies suggest the Lambda variant could have a higher transmission rate and stronger vaccine resistance, we do not have enough data to support this yet.
"At the moment, the World Health Organisation has designated Lambda as a variant of interest (VOI), which means it warrants close monitoring.
"But, the variant will only be upgraded to variant of concern (VOC) if there is evidence to prove the impact of its transmission, such as the Delta variant. Nevertheless, we should consider prolonging the quarantine period just to be on the safe side," he said.
While Dr Zamberi expected that more new Covid-19 variants will surface, he predicted the newer variants would get milder, and the coronavirus would eventually become endemic to the population.
"The viruses do not want to kill the host because otherwise, their transmission stops.
"Based on past experience with other viruses, the newer variants usually get milder because they adapt to the host cells.
"So, Covid-19 will likely become endemic, but high-risk groups will remain vulnerable to the virus while the younger and healthy population will be able to survive," he said.
The Lambda variant, or previously known as the Andean strain, was first detected in Peru and is responsible for almost 80 per cent of all Covid-19 cases in the country. On Aug 7, Japan confirmed that a woman who arrived at Haneda Airport in Tokyo from Peru was infected with the variant.