According to WHO, the delta version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could become the prevalent strain in Cambodia.

[ASEAN NOW]

 

Dr. Li Ailan, the World Health Organization's representative in Cambodia, told Khmer that the Delta strain is more easily transmissible to others, and that, as in many other countries, the Delta strain eventually becomes the dominant strain, which we expect to happen in Cambodia if it hasn't already.

Delta strain carriers, unlike the prevalent Alpha strain, might be asymptomatic and contagious until being tested or tracing their contacts.

 

“The Delta Variant is extremely dangerous,” Dr. Li Ailan told Khmer Times. Because it replicates more faster inside the body than prior forms, it is more transmissible. Delta is more easily transmitted to others than prior variations.

 

“In Cambodia, the Delta variant is widely distributed. We can't sequence test every sample, therefore the exact number of Delta cases in Cambodia is unknown, though Khmer Times claims it's close to 8,000. What we do know is that the percentage of delta samples that we sequence has been increasing since July.

 

“We must make certain that we and our loved ones are adequately immunized. The vaccine protects against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. The good news is that the public health and social policies in place since last year are still effective against the Delta variant. We just have to make sure we follow them all the time, especially since the Delta spreads so quickly and easily, even among people who haven't yet shown symptoms,” she noted.

 

According to people familiar with the situation, Cambodia's Delta Variant SARS-CoV-2 virus infection has risen exponentially to 7,852 instances as of Monday, September 27th, with numerous regions reporting 400 cases and Phnom Penh exceeding 1,000.

 

The first Delta case was discovered on 31st Match 2021, and it has since expanded in numbers and infection rates in tandem with COVID-19 infection rates.

 

The number of Delta variant infections was 6,503 just four days previously, on September 23. The spike of 1,349 cases in four days, as reported by the current infection rates, has generated concern, especially given the cancellation of the Kan Ben and Pchum Ben celebrations.

 

The sudden surge of Delta cases, particularly in the capital city of Phnom Penh, where 141 Buddhist monks and laypeople from 151 pagodas tested positive for COVID-19 in the first two days of the celebrations, was one of the main reasons for the suspension.

 

Because Pastuer Institute takes up to five days to test the PCR samples and genome sequencing to isolate and identify the Delta version, it is unknown if any of the 141 had been infected with the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.