Covid-19: Local strains may be fuelling infections Veena Babulal KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia could be home to several superspreading, local SARS-CoV-2 variants that are slipping off the health authorities' radar. According to virologists, while the Health Ministry was focusing on imported variants of concern (VoC), especially the dreaded B1617 from India, unidentified local strains could be fuelling the current wave of infections. Professor Dr Sazaly Abu Bakar, who heads Universiti Malaya's Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre, said the facility identified two potential local strains recently. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. "Right now, the VoC is the Indian double mutant, but it is likely that a new variant is fuelling this current outbreak," Sazaly said.