Thailand’s respected virologist Dr. Yong Poovorawan has warned Thai security officials to keep a closer watch on border crossings from Malaysia, where the highly contagious South African COVID-19 variant is spreading.

 

In his Facebook post today (Sunday) Dr. Yong said that the Indian variant, which was detected among some recent arrivals, although contagious, is not as worrisome as the South African one, because the carriers who arrived by air were quarantined and treated.

 

Dr. Yong disclosed that there are five COVID-19 variants currently spreading in Malaysia, including the South African one (B.1.351), which now accounts for 31% of the infections there.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/virologist-warns-spread-of-south-african-covid-19-variant-from-malaysia-possible-via-natural-border/

 

 

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This is indeed worrying as the Thai authorities have proven themselves to be completely unable/unwilling to control the borders and both the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines are much less effective against the South Africa strain.

Studies have concluded that this variant is tougher on all vaccines, not just the China vaccines.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3130355/coronavirus-sinovac-vaccine-gives-70-cent-less

Dr google is a mind of information now his connection must be back ????

44 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I wouldn't worry about this, there's a lot of largely baseless hype around these 'variants' - they don't seem to be that much different to the others and the vaccines are working on all of them, some with a slightly reduced efficacy and a small number of 'breakthrough' cases.

 

Of course if you're not vaccinated then it's just COVID.

All these 'variants' seem to be slowly worming their back back towards China where their vaccine based on what I've heard really sucks.

 

 

 

 

Good point on the virus making its way back home to China, just hope it doesn't whipe its feet on us like it did to South Africa. 

Dirty foreigners again are to blame.

3 minutes ago, ukrules said:

There is a vaccine expert from the US, he works full time on vaccines and he has had a lot to say about the newspaper reports on this.

 

Read past SCMP's clickbait headline in the link I posted. The SA variant is tougher to beat (not just for Sinovac) however the vaccines are still ok, and the experts are looking into improving protection.

 

We're on the same page.

 

1 hour ago, lujanit said:

Dirty foreigners again are to blame.

Exactly what the Laos and Cambodians say about the Thais sneaking over to their casinos

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

I wouldn't worry about this, there's a lot of largely baseless hype around these 'variants' - they don't seem to be that much different to the others and the vaccines are working on all of them, some with a slightly reduced efficacy and a small number of 'breakthrough' cases.

 

Of course if you're not vaccinated then it's just COVID.

All these 'variants' seem to be slowly worming their back back towards China where their vaccine based on what I've heard really sucks.

First, they don't really know enough about this new Indian variant.  So who knows if it's more deadly or not.  But the other variants have proven to be more deadly.  Either because they spread easier or like the Brazilian one, are going after younger people.

 

And no, the vaccines do not work against all of them.  Some yes, some no, some only partially.  And some, they just don't know.

 

Coming up on some 2,000 variants now.  That they know of.

 

China is doing great now.  Borders are closed, and the virus is in check. 

" Dr. Yong said that the Indian variant, which was detected among some recent arrivals, although contagious, is not as worrisome as the South African one, because the carriers who arrived by air were quarantined and treated."

 

but exactly the same way african mutation came to malaysia - it can only be by quarantine, but undetected.

Just a matter of time before all possible mutations will come.

How can the UK mutation come to cambodia - only by undetected quarantine.

If the african is already 30% of infections in malaysia, than surely is already in thailand.

Many captured illegal immigrants in thailand claim, they are in transit to malaysia. After time they are heading back home. There is constant, undetected movement, in thousands in each possible direction. 

3 minutes ago, internationalism said:

" Dr. Yong said that the Indian variant, which was detected among some recent arrivals, although contagious, is not as worrisome as the South African one, because the carriers who arrived by air were quarantined and treated."

 

but exactly the same way african mutation came to malaysia - it can only be by quarantine, but undetected.

Just a matter of time before all possible mutations will come.

How can the UK mutation come to cambodia - only by undetected quarantine.

If the african is already 30% of infections in malaysia, than surely is already in thailand.

Many captured illegal immigrants in thailand claim, they are in transit to malaysia. After time they are heading back home. There is constant, undetected movement, in thousands in each possible direction. 

A friend is in Singapore.  A lady went into quarantine for 2 weeks.  2 weeks later, she was sick.  They've no idea how it happened and they're doing a fantastic job there of contact tracing, etc.  Scary.  We just don't fully understand this virus yet.  Especially the variants.

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Malaysia reports first case of Indian COVID-19 variant

 

 

Malaysia has detected its first case of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first identified in India, Health Minister Adham Baba said on Sunday, days after imposing a ban on flights from India.

 

The variant, named B.1.617, was detected in an Indian national screened at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, he said.

 

The World Health Organisation has described it as a "variant of interest", suggesting it may have mutations that would make the virus more transmissible, cause more severe disease or evade vaccine immunity. 

 

Read more here:  https://www.reuters.com/world/india/malaysia-reports-first-case-indian-covid-19-variant-2021-05-02/

39 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

First, they don't really know enough about this new Indian variant.  So who knows if it's more deadly or not.  But the other variants have proven to be more deadly.  Either because they spread easier or like the Brazilian one, are going after younger people.

 

And no, the vaccines do not work against all of them.  Some yes, some no, some only partially.  And some, they just don't know.

 

Coming up on some 2,000 variants now.  That they know of.

 

China is doing great now.  Borders are closed, and the virus is in check. 

"China is doing great now.  Borders are closed, and the virus is in check".

 

I don't live in China, don't have an inside on what is going on country-wide and haven't a clue what truth is behind such statements. If governments9  such as China's (including the media, and others) were truthful, transparent and verifiable, then perhaps such proclamations would be more believable.

 

"If a lie is repeated often enough, people will believe it".

5 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

This is indeed worrying as the Thai authorities have proven themselves to be completely unable/unwilling to control the borders and both the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines are much less effective against the South Africa strain.

 

Covacin was said to be effective for both these variants and we did read about that was one of the vaccines thailand was trying to procure

30 minutes ago, Benmart said:

"China is doing great now.  Borders are closed, and the virus is in check".

 

I don't live in China, don't have an inside on what is going on country-wide and haven't a clue what truth is behind such statements. If governments9  such as China's (including the media, and others) were truthful, transparent and verifiable, then perhaps such proclamations would be more believable.

 

"If a lie is repeated often enough, people will believe it".

My neighbor owns a factory there.  Life is back to normal in China.  They are doing checks, and if covid is found, they lock down specific areas and do mass testing.  Their economy grew at some 18% last quarter.  Amazing.

 

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/packed-crowds-attend-music-festival-in-china-s-almost-virus-free-wuhan-1.4553575

1 hour ago, Jeffr2 said:

A friend is in Singapore.  A lady went into quarantine for 2 weeks.  2 weeks later, she was sick.  They've no idea how it happened and they're doing a fantastic job there of contact tracing, etc.  Scary.  We just don't fully understand this virus yet.  Especially the variants.

There's already quite a few cases where it's proven the incubation period for some went beyond 14 days. That's why China imposed quarantine of up to 28 days. And yes the virus is more evasive than what people think. Considering the resources the Singapore government has put into contact tracing, quarantine, border control.....the past week has been a wake up call with scores of community infections from a few different sources. 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr. Yong disclosed that there are five COVID-19 variants currently spreading in Malaysia, including the South African one (B.1.351), which now accounts for 31% of the infections there.

Just gets better and better, shame the PM is so slow with the vaccination programme, much of this could have been avoided.

15 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

My neighbor owns a factory there.  Life is back to normal in China.  They are doing checks, and if covid is found, they lock down specific areas and do mass testing.  Their economy grew at some 18% last quarter.  Amazing.

 

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/packed-crowds-attend-music-festival-in-china-s-almost-virus-free-wuhan-1.4553575

You truly sound like you are pro-China, 18% in the last quarter. Maybe it is from all the fake n95 and kn95 masks they are selling to the world. I for one have little time for China as they put the world in so much pain and worry of what to do next 

The logical thing to do would be to beef up security and patrols along the southern border.

But, that's asking for logic.

42 minutes ago, Benmart said:

"China is doing great now.  Borders are closed, and the virus is in check".

 

I don't live in China, don't have an inside on what is going on country-wide and haven't a clue what truth is behind such statements. If governments9  such as China's (including the media, and others) were truthful, transparent and verifiable, then perhaps such proclamations would be more believable.

 

"If a lie is repeated often enough, people will believe it".

My business partner is Chinese. I have family in China whom I call everyday. Take it from me, life in China is about 95% back to pre covid days. 

9 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

You truly sound like you are pro-China, 18% in the last quarter. Maybe it is from all the fake n95 and kn95 masks they are selling to the world. I for one have little time for China as they put the world in so much pain and worry of what to do next 

Yes, China could have done a lot better. But the rest of the world could have done better too when they saw it coming. It's probably hard for you to swallow but the fact is places which took draconian measures subsequently are doing better and China is one of them. 

10 minutes ago, lks7689 said:

My business partner is Chinese. I have family in China whom I call everyday. Take it from me, life in China is about 95% back to pre covid days. 

This might well be true but, because of China's reluctance to being open and honest I would prefer to wait for such good news to come from a recognised and verifiable source.

34 minutes ago, LALes said:

The logical thing to do would be to beef up security and patrols along the southern border.

But, that's asking for logic.

Both here and in America.

The gift from China that keeps on giving to the world...

1 minute ago, Isaan sailor said:

The gift from China that keeps on giving to the world...

With a nice tidy profit for them on their sales of vaccines

so is the world (except China) coming to an end? so China will have the world to itself better than using atomic bombs, if this is true then all of China must know what to do to stop the virus, why are they keeping it to themselves???

21 minutes ago, lks7689 said:

Yes, China could have done a lot better. But the rest of the world could have done better too when they saw it coming. It's probably hard for you to swallow but the fact is places which took draconian measures subsequently are doing better and China is one of them. 

China had all the answers to all the questions of how it started where it started and they have not shared this with the world. If we had a united UN the CCP members would all be in jail now for releasing this death virus on the world. And just for the record we don't really care how China is doing.

just when i thought i was out, they pulled me back in

2 hours ago, Benmart said:

 

"If a lie is repeated often enough, people will believe it".

Recently somebody suggested that all the vaccines are safe!