MOH: Omicron has reached Malaysia
COVID-19 | The Health Ministry (MOH) revealed today that it had detected the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus in Malaysia.
This was confirmed yesterday based on a sample taken from a foreign student who entered the country on Nov 19.
The student from South Africa was then reportedly shuttled on a university bus from KLIA to Ipoh where she underwent quarantine.
The next day on Nov 20 she got her test results back saying she was positive for Covid-19.
COVID-19 | The Health Ministry (MOH) revealed today that it had detected the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus in Malaysia.
This was confirmed yesterday, based on a sample taken from a foreign student who entered the country on Nov 19.
The student from South Africa was then reportedly shuttled on a university bus from KLIA to Ipoh, where she underwent quarantine.
The next day on Nov 20, she got her test results back, which stated she was positive for Covid-19.
Five others who were also on the bus were then immediately placed under quarantine.
The student completed her quarantine on Nov 29.
At a press conference today, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (above) stressed that the student entered Malaysia before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Omicron a variant of concern on Nov 26.
According to Khairy, following the announcement, MOH started conducting PCR Genotyping tests on all positive samples that were taken from travellers who arrived at KLIA.
These include positive samples that were taken before WHO's announcement, as far back as Nov 11.
"The Institute for Medical Research (IMR) conducted PCR Genotyping Assay test on 74 Covid-19 positive samples that were detected in KLIA between Nov 11 and 28. This test was carried out so that we could get early results on the types of variants.
"The outcome of this exercise saw that one of the samples was suspected to be of the Omicron variant of concern. Genomic sequencing was then conducted, and it came back positive for Omicron on Dec 2 (yesterday)," said the minister.
MOH investigation revealed that the student who tested positive for Omicron had followed all quarantine procedures that were required on her.
She had completed her Covid-19 immunisation on Sept 29 before returning to her family in South Africa.
Khairy said the ministry had identified a total of eight close contacts, including those who travelled together with the case from KLIA to Ipoh.
They have been tested negative before the Omicron finding, but MOH has called them back for another PCR test today to make sure to further confirm their health status.
"We have conducted quite a thorough contact tracing in this case, to identify individuals who had contact with her as well as those who may have been in the same vicinity with her, including those in the flight she took and those who had checked-in (using MySejahtera) in the same area she had been to at KLIA.
"Investigation is still ongoing to ensure that there is no spread of the virus to others."
'Our system works'
Khairy also advised the public to stay vigilant, especially after the new variant was detected in Malaysia.
While the public should not panic, he added, they should follow all the procedures that MOH has set for the Covid-19 pandemic, including wearing face masks, physical distancing and always cleaning their hands.
According to the minister, the case also showed that Malaysia's health intervention system is working - where the case was contained through a quarantine practice and followed by a quick contact tracing exercise that was enabled by the MySejahtera application.
"Again, I want to stress that the system is working. If all of us follow the SOPs and all the rules set by MOH like quarantine order and such, we can contain any kind of variant, whether it is Omicron, or Delta, or others.
"But we must stick to our public health intervention."
The ministry will also heighten its campaign activities to get more of the country's population to get their Covid-19 immunisation.
Khairy said it is important for the public, especially those who haven't taken their vaccines, to understand the importance of vaccination to protect them from the coronavirus.
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