KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry (MOH) has detected six more COVID-19 positive cases involving variants of concern (VOC) in the country between June 20 and 22.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah they involved five Beta variant cases (B.1.351) and one Delta variant case (B.1.617.2).

"For the Beta variant, two cases were detected in Penang and one case each in Sabah, Kedah and Perlis, while one case of the Delta variant was detected in Negeri Sembilan," he said in a statement today.

He said the latest development brought the cumulative number of infections infected with the virus involving VOCs and Variants of Interest (VOI) to 189 cases.

Of the total number detected, 173 cases were VOC while 16 were VOI, he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said applications and appeals to shorten the quarantine period for those entering the country, would have to go through a very strict evaluation process.

"Various appeals were received by the Home Surveillance Order (HSO) Committee at the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC), and these appeals are mostly related to exemption applications and the shortening of quarantine period by travellers returning from abroad for certain reasons.

"The MOH understands the various personal situations they face, but at the same time the MOH must remain serious in the implementation of this quarantine policy to ensure that the risk of COVID-19 infection from abroad can be minimised," he said.

Malaysia had previously extended the mandatory quarantine period to 21 days on Malaysian and non -citizen travellers from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan at government-designated quarantine stations.

Travellers from other countries are required to undergo quarantine for 14 days at the quarantine centre. However, the quarantine period will be extended for seven days if there is a need, based on the risk assessment conducted on the 14th day.

Dr Noor Hisham said the extension of the quarantine period was very important to ensure that the spread of COVID-19 infection from abroad did not occur, especially those involving VOC and VOI.

"This variant is found to spread faster and cause a higher risk of death, in fact, this (quarantine extension) is also a practice that is also carried out by most other countries," he said.

-- BERNAMA