Emergence of new variant of Covid-19 is worrying - KKM

Director-General of Health Malaysia, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

Kuala Lumpur, 18 May 2021 - The emergence of Variants of Concern (VOC) is worrying because of its asymptomatic characteristics and when tested with Covid-19 swab tests, patients will get negative results even though they are in a critical state, said the Health DG.

Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that VOC variants are very contagious and have a high fatality rate.

Most patients would not have any symptoms that usually related to any previous Covid-19 patients like coughing or fever. They will only feel weaker and loss of appetite.

"Some patients do not show any early symptoms of that are commonly come with Covid-19 like the loss of taste and sense of smell.

"However, these new variants are easily transmissible straight to the lungs."